Bubbie’s Sweet & Sour
Meatballs
Contributed by Lisa Barrett
Director, Interdisciplinary Affective Science Laboratory
University Distinguished Professor, Northeastern University
Research Neuroscientist, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Ingredients
For meatballs:
1 cooking onion (sauteed)
1 lb hamburger
½ lb lamb
½ lb veal
2 eggs
½ cup ketchup
2 tsp garlic powder
2 pieces of bread
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried oregano
For sauce:
1.5 cups dark raisins
½ cup sugar
chicken broth (approx 3-4 cups)
juice of 2-3 lemons
3 tsp kosher salt
Method
1. Chop onions, sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and sauté until translucent
and just turning pale golden.
2. Combine bread, ketchup, egg; mash bread. Add onions, garlic
powder, 2 tsp salt, pepper, oregano, baking powder, and ground
meat. Mix and make into small meatballs.
3. Brown meatballs (do not crowd) 3 min on each side. Do in
batches if necessary.
4. Place all meatballs back in the pot, add raisins, cover with stock
(just until meatballs are covered) and braise for one hour.
Simmer. Do not boil.
5. Add lemon juice and sugar and simmer for 20 min.
6. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with rice.
MAIN DISH / BEEF / LAMB
Turkish Lamb Pasta
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher or coarse sea salt, more to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 lbs. ground lamb
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, more to taste
1/2 lb.pound bowtie pasta
2-4 Tbsp. butter, to taste
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Contributed by Christian Farrar
Assistant Professor of Radiology
Principal Investigator, Farrar Lab
Servings: 6
Method
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Bring pot of water to boil for pasta.
2. Toss eggplant with 4 Tbsp. olive oil and a large pinch of salt.
Spread on a baking sheet (use parchment paper for less cleanup),
making sure there is room between pieces, and roast in oven until
crisp and brown, 15-20 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, heat remaining Tbsp. olive oil. Add 2 minced
garlic cloves and the shallot and sauté until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add lamb, 1/2 tsp. salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to
taste. Sauté until lamb is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in
dill and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir eggplant into lamb. Taste
and adjust seasonings.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small
saucepan, melt 2-4 Tbsp. butter (the amount is to your taste). Let
cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 5
minutes. In small bowl, stir together yogurt, remaining garlic and
a pinch of salt.
5. Drain pasta and spread on a serving platter. Top with lambeggplant
mixture. Pour melted butter over top and serve
immediately.
6. Top with yogurt sauce and sprinkle on additional red pepper and
dill to taste.
After cooking lamb you can drain off excess grease and return
lamb to pan before adding eggplant and dill.
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