Text 35299, 146 rader
Skriven 2016-01-19 07:59:18 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av NANCY BACKUS
Ärende: Re: tastes 837
======================
>  ML> is complete we have our Ginger Libation. Unfiltered,
>  ML> unpasteurized, and unmatched.
> Now that actually sounds appealing to me... :)  an alcoholic version of
> a proper Jamaican ginger beer... 

Not quite the oomph and texture of Jamaican.

>  ML> It was quite good, actually, a sort of citrusy ginger 
>  ML> ale with 9% alcohol, a surprising hit.
> And with that sort of endorsement, something that I'd definitely try,
> maybe even look for, should the occasion arise... :)

Might be, but as with Gingeroo, I think it would
be cheaper and almost as effective to put a shot
into a ginger beverage you favored.

>  ML> We were a bit peckish yet, as the post-concert
>  ML> reception had been a bit disappointing, so we got
>  ML> crispy calamari - good product expertly fried and
>  ML> tossed with jalapeno rings; delicious and there were
>  ML> lots and lots of tentacles; and
> And that sounds quite tasty, too...  :)

Right. Right tasty.

>  ML> BBQ brisket over cornbread, a specialty of the joint.
>  ML> This consisted of five 1-oz planks of well-trimmed
>  ML> sort of uninteresting smoked meat, rather resilient,
>  ML> a big chunk of excellent not very sweet cornbread,
>  ML> and a scoop of vinegar-and-mayo slaw.
> So the slaw and cornbread made up for the meat...?

Not quite. I should have asked if the fatty bits
had not been thrown out or given to the kitchen help.

>  ML> beers more than made up for this, and the bill came 
>  ML> to a whopping $60, which was tolerable since I got a
>  ML> $50 raise since the last time I played this concert.
> Not too shabby... :)  Rather a hefty bar tab, though... ;)

Yeah. The place is not cheap.

Grandma's Meatballs and Sunday Sauce 
categories: heirloom, main, Italian, pasta
servings: many

h - for the sauce
1 sm Onion (chopped)
8 lg Cloves Garlic (minced, divided)
5 Tb Olive Oil (+ more for sauteeing)
6 cn (28 oz ea) Crushed Tomatoes
12 oz cn Tomato Paste
1 md Russet Potato (peeled)
1/2 c Red Cooking Wine (more to taste)
10 lg Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
1 Tb Fresh Oregano (finely chopped) 
- alternatively, use 1 ts dried
h - for the meatballs
3 lb Ground Beef (at least 85% lean)
1 lb Ground Pork
1 1/2 c Milk
1 1/2 c Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped)
1 1/2 c Grated Italian Cheese 
- (50/50 mix of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano works well)
5 Eggs
1 1/2 c Italian Style Bread Crumbs (more as necessary)
Hot Italian Sausage
h - for the pasta
5 Eggs
4 c Flour (more as needed)
5 ts olive oil
salt

Time for an Italian staple: spaghetti and meatballs with a 
hearty tomato sauce. My great grandmother made this recipe 
a lot when I was younger. After she passed away having not 
written the recipe down, my grandma spent years trying to 
develop a recipe similar to the one we all cherished. Here, 
I will show you how to make meatballs and tomato sauce the 
way I was taught by my grandma. This recipe makes a lot of 
food, so it is great for big dinner parties or family 
gatherings. There are a couple Italian secrets that I use 
in this recipe. The first involves using a peeled potato 
to sweeten the tomato sauce. Tomatoes are naturally quite 
acidic. The basicity of the potato neutralizes some of this 
acid, bringing out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. 
The second dictates the use of cold water when forming the 
meatballs. The warmth of our hands naturally heats and dries 
the exterior of the meatballs while forming them. Dipping 
our hands in cold water prior to formation will cause for 
the meatballs to be more tender and moist.

Finely chop onion and mince 4 large garlic cloves.

Saute the chopped onion in olive oil in a large pot (I used 
a 20 qt one). Add garlic after onions become translucent 
and cook an additional 2 min.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1 medium, peeled 
russet potato. Add red wine to taste (usually 1/2 to 1 c).

Add basil and oregano.

Make the meatball mixture. 
Combine ground beef and ground pork. Add milk, chopped 
parsley, cheese, eggs, 4 large garlic cloves (minced), 
and 1 1/2 c italian style bread crumbs.

Mix the meatball mixture by hand. Add more breadcrumbs 
until the mixture is the right consistency: it should be 
moist, but slightly firm and not sticky. Let rest at room 
temperature for 30 min.

Cut hot italian sausage into 1" pieces and brown in oil.

Drain the sausages on paper towels and add them to the sauce.

Get a small bowl of cold water. Before you form a meatball, 
dip your hands in the cold water. This keeps the meatball 
mixture cold while forming it, which makes them more tender 
and less greasy. Don't squeeze the mixture when forming 
meatballs - gently toss it.

Nrown meatballs in oil on all sides - this will prevent them 
from falling apart in the sauce and also impart more flavor.

Transfer the sauteed meatballs to the sauce and cook for 
at least 45 min.

Make pasta dough by combining 5 eggs, 5 ts olive oil, and 
5 generous pinches of salt in a food processor. Add flour 
until the dough comes together in a nice ball (4 to 5 c), 
knead a couple times, then rest under an upside-down bowl 
for 30 min.

Roll and cut spaghetti noodles. This is really easy if you 
have a kitchen-aid attachment.

Cook the noodles in salted boiling water for 4 min. 

Assemble the dish: pasta on the bottom, topped with one (or 
more) meatballs, and several of the sausage pieces. Enjoy!

Source: Colin Beckwitt, slightly amended
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