Chipotle Espresso Meatballs
** Serves 8 (3 meatballs per serving) **
Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. products needed for this recipe:
Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup (60 ml) milk
• 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 6 bacon strips, chopped
• 1 small finely chopped onion
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground cumin
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) Chipotle Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Espresso Balsamic
• ¾ lb ground pork
• ½ lb ground beef or veal
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• Lime wedges for service
• Wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
Stir milk and breadcrumbs together in large bowl.
Cook bacon in a 10” heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Pour off the bacon fat and add Chipotle Olive Oil to the skillet, then cook onion, garlic and cumin until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add Espresso Balsamic and deglaze the pan for one minute or less. Stir this mixture into the bread crumb mixture, then add ground meats, egg, parsley, bacon and 1 tsp salt and mix well with your hands.
Preheat broiler:
Form meat mixture into balls (about 1 tbsp meat mixture per meatball) and thread ½ inch apart onto skewers. Arrange skewers on lightly oiled broiler pan and broil 3-4 inches from heat (do not turn) until browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
Meatballs can be skewered but not cooked 1 day ahead and chilled.
This recipe can also morph into sliders as another recipe option.
