Asian Meatballs

it's time for part 2 of my three part meatball series (am i the only that thinks that sounds weird/inappropriate??) - 1 batch of meatballs, 3 different ways.

so to sum up, i made a big batch of meatballs and and making them three different ways - italian, sweet and sour, and asian.

click here for the italian meatballs recipe.

this time it's asian-style meatballs. i simply defrosted the meatballs i had already made, simmered the pre-cooked meatballs in an asian sauce and tossed them with broccoli and shelled edamame and served everything over rice. it was that easy! fridge to table in 15 minutes.

i'm telling you. make a big batch of meatballs - they are super versatile and will help you get dinner on the table in no time.

stay tuned, part three of the meatball series is coming soon - sweet and sour meatballs . . .

---

Classic Meatballs

1 lb lean ground bison or beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground pork
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend

optional asian additions:
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tbs garlic, minced

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

in a large bowl, mix everything together with your hands until well mixed but not over-worked.

remove 1/3 of mixture and add asian additions if desired. of course, you can make the whole batch asian by adding 3x the amount of additions.

form meatballs a little smallet than golf ball size and place an inch apart on a foil lined, greased, baking sheet. bake for 15-20 minutes.

remove from oven and let cool completely before freezing or storing in fridge. if using immediately, drop meatballs into sauce and let simmer for 10 minutes.

---

Asian Meatball Sauce

2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbs water
1 tbs sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs freshly grated ginger
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce (or tamari) 
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp chili paste
1 tbs rice wine vinegar

in small bowl whisk together cornstarch and water and set aside.

in a medium pot, warm sesame oil over medium heat. add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. add cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil again stirring until sauce thickens. add meatballs. when mixture simmers, lower heat to low and let simmer 10-15 minutes.

toss with sauteed broccoli and shelled edamame and serve over rice.