Meat Archives - Page 3 of 12 - Recipes At My Table

Turkey, Zucchini and Carrot Meatballs

I am always looking to add the goodness of vegetables into traditional dishes. Turkey, Zucchini and Carrot Meatballs allows me to sneak in some zucchini and carrots into a flavourful meatball. These can be immersed in a red sauce or baked as a sweet and sour dish. I also love them in soup.

Using turkey or chicken is a great way to watch your red meat intake. Adding vegetables is always a great way to ensure that your family stays healthy. Sometimes children won’t eat zucchini and carrots as a side, but when hidden in a meatball and drizzled with sauce, you have a hit. Today I made these to freeze for my daughter-in-law in Ottawa. This recipe freezes well and I take out as many as I need for soups, pastas or sub sandwiches.

Another turkey meatball favourite from my collection https://recipesatmytable.com/drunken-turkey-meatballs/

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
1 each of a medium carrot and zucchini ( grated )
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 eggs
1 tbsp minced parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

The Process

Place all your ingredients in a bowl. I used a food processor to grate my zucchini and carrots.

Sometimes in meatballs milk or water is used, but the moisture from the zucchini and carrots add enough moisture in this recipe.

I used a small scoop to make 24 meatballs. Place them over parchment paper and spritz them with a little canola oil. Put them into a 375 F oven for 15 minutes.

Out of the oven and ready for freezer .

Here I used them with tomato sauce.

My favourite is to use them in soup. YUM!!

August 27, 2020

2 Comments

Sticky Ribs

Ribs are a favourite at our house and Sticky Ribs melt in your mouth. The dry rub makes them burst with flavour and the slow cook, tenderizes the meat. The barbecue sauce makes them sweet and velvety. I like to use baby back pork ribs for this recipes because there is meat between the bones. They are shorter, curved and sometimes have more meat than other cuts. Spare ribs can be used, but they are fattier and we are trying to watch our fat intake without giving up flavour.

I love the idea of barbecuing, but when I don’t want to go out into the rain, my oven functions as a slow cooking method and a searing one. Barbecuing takes me back to the old days of pouring in the coals and waiting for the right temperature. I remember that timing was of the essence. Dad would have to start those coals an hour before the meat went on the rack. Today, I have a gorgeous Napoleon with all the bells and whistles on it. However, there was something about cooking over those coals that made it extra special.

At our camp (cottage for you southern Canadians etc) we had a huge outside pit. My favourite was when the coals were very hot, my nonna would burry potatoes in the coals. Those were the best alternatives to potato skins. The skin was crisp and the inside was buttery and delicious. No need for extra toppings our sauces. Oh, the simple life.

Of course my nonna’s recipe for Italian ribs: https://recipesatmytable.com/nonnas-oven-baked-ribs-with-potatoes/

As for barbecuing, we all love it. I wanted to find out a little more about it. Here is a very interesting article on the history: https://amazingribs.com/barbecue-history-and-culture/barbecue-history

Ingredients

The dry rub

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric

The sauce

1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp chilli powder
1 cup passata
2 tbsp Ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
any of the dry rub seasoning left

The ribs

5 lbs Pork baby back ribs ( cut into single ribs)
4 tbsp of canola oil for searing
1/2 cup of dry white wine

The Process

It is very important to prepare the dry rub and the sauce.

The dry rub comes together.

Place the olive oil into a pot and simmer the onion. Put in your passata next and all the other ingredients, Let The sauce bubbles away on low for 15 minutes.

Rub each rib with the dry rub and sear in some canola oil until golden brown. I placed 4 tbsp of canola oil into a large pan and heated it. Don’t over-crowd the ribs. Here I pushed them together to take the picture.

Next place 1/2 a cup of wine in a large pan. Place the ribs on top and pour half the bbq sauce in to coat. Set the oven to 325, put a lid over the ribs and let them slow cook for one hour. Then remove the lid and raise the oven temperature to 375 and place the ribs back for another 1/2 hour.

Then I put the ribs on a platter and pour the other 1/2 of the bbq sauce over the ribs and let them sit for 5 minutes. Do not cover them.

There won’t be much left.

May 28, 2020

Rolla’s Kafta Casserole

Rolla’s Kafta Casserole is a Middle Eastern recipe. We call if Kafta, but it is known as Kofta in Middle Eastern countries. My friend Rolla is from Lebanon and she has introduced me to a whole new world of flavours. Now being Sicilian, we have that Middle Eastern influence, but some of the dishes are specific to Lebanon. In my life I have been very lucky to travel most of the world, live in many places, but most of all make friends. Rolla came into my life at the yoga studio here in Leamington and over the past 5 years, we have become members of her family.

Family comes together at the table. Food is such an important part of Rolla’s culture just like our Italian culture. At the table we share stories and make memories. Her family is kind and loving and we share meals, laughter, love and of course recipes. I miss her and her family and this recipe brings them to my table, even if they can’t come at the moment.

Kaftas are part of the meatball family. On a shopping trip to Lebanese markets, I picked these up with Rolla at a butcher shop catering to Middle Eastern cuisine. Our Kafta’s are made of lamb and pork. The butcher ground the meat with parsley and garlic. I loved watching him; it reminded me of growing up in Little Italy. When I got home, I rolled the meat into oblong shapes and flattened them a bit.

Kafta can can also be placed around a skewer and grilled on the barbecue.

How to make the Kafta from ground meat at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TplfK-dweMo

Today I am cooking them in a casserole type dish. Another good meatball casserole type dish https://recipesatmytable.com/drunken-turkey-meatballs/

Ingredients

2 lbs Kafta
3 medium sliced onions
6 medium sliced potatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
salt and pepper
1 tbsp Italian seasoning ( anything with oregano, anise, red pepper chilli flakes)
2 tbsp olive oil ( grease the casserole with it and pour some over the casserole before placing it into the oven.

The Process

My Kafta is frozen and I remove it from the freezer.

I peel and slice the onions and place them in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.

Peel and slice the potatoes. I used the mandolin, but they are about 1/4 inch thick. Ensure that you season each layer.

In a casserole dish, place the onions, followed by the potatoes and then place the Kafta on top. Season each layer with salt and pepper.

Mix the stock with the tomato paste and pour over the sides. Today I used 1/2 vegetable stock and 1/2 marinara. You can vary your sauce.

Place a piece of parchment paper and then a piece of aluminium foil over the casserole dish.Bake at 375F for 50 minutes.Remove cover and bake for another 20-30 minutes.

You can serve this with rice or pitas. Today I served it with falafel and cucumber salad.

April 30, 2020

Nonna Emilia’s Baked Pasta

Some things leave their mark on you and years later, this is just that dish! I can smell it, taste it and love it like the very first time I ate it. Nonna Emilia’s Baked Pasta brings me back to simpler times when food was at the centre of the home. This pasta was a take-along for the beach. If you grew up in Sault Ste. Marie in the 60s, all the Italians headed to the beach on Sunday. They all prepared their homemade dishes and there was a feast on the sand. Imagine the longest line of picnic tables with a feast made for kings. I can still smell the beach and the sand when I cut this pasta.

Whether the beach or at home, we all gathered and there were smiles all around. Nonna’s simple, but good ingredients come together for the most comforting dish.

I miss nonna and I want one of her dishes; being in the kitchen always makes me feel her arms around me. The marinara sauce comes together with the tiny meatballs and they both give this recipe texture and flavour. In typical Calabrese style, I boil eggs and all the other ingredients are cut hunter style in big chunks. Sharp Asiago and and mild Friulano are also a part of the stuffing. Of course, I put in lots of grated parmesan.

Our favourite sauce that we made together: https://recipesatmytable.com/calabrese-sunday-sauce/

Growing up I watched nonna use everything in the kitchen and nothing went to waste. She often used bacon fat to season and fry. I don’t do this often, but today I use duck fat to fry the meatballs.

The duck fat is pure and flavourful.

Tiny meatballs: use my recipe link and take a teaspoon of the mixture and cut in half for each meatball.

Look at the brown flavour in these meatballs.

All the cheeses and meatballs lined up.

Slice the eggs.

Put a layer of sauce and then half the pasta followed by the eggs.

Then add the meatballs and the chunks of cheese.

Top with some marinara sauce and then start the second layer.

Second layer all done.

Ready for the oven.

Full shot of this extraordinary pasta!!

5 from 1 vote

Nonna Emilia's Baked Pasta

A combination of Asiago, Friulano and Parmesan add flavour to this dish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Nonna Emilia's Baked Pasta

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

4 cups marinara sauce
80 tiny meatballs
4 tbsp canola oil frying meatballs ( I used duck fat today)
1 cup Asiago
1 cup Friulano
1/2 cup Parmesan
4 hard boiled eggs
1 package 500 gr short pasta

Instructions

Cook the sauce.
Make the meatballs. Each little meatball is about 1/2 a tsp of mixture.
Roll about 80, and fry.
Set aside in a bowl.
Boil the eggs, cool, peel and slice.
Cut up all the cheese into cubes about 1/2 inch.
Boil your pasta according to package directions. Any short pasta like penne or rigatoni is good.
Take a 9 X 13 baking dish and put 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom.
Put half the pasta in and spread it out.
Add parmesan, eggs, meatballs, cubed cheese and 1/2 cup sauce.
Repeat this again.
Wrap with tinfoil and place in a 350 F oven for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Pour remainder 1/2 cup sauce over dish.
Let sit for 30 minutes before cutting.

Recipe Notes

Marinara sauce: https://recipesatmytable.com/marinara-sauce-passata-making/

Meatballs: https://recipesatmytable.com/italian-meatballs/

June 7, 2019

2 Comments