Author Notes
Don't mistake this recipe by its title as some meat-head, body builder's food fantasy. It is anything but that. Though it is packed full of lean red meat and fiber filled quinoa for a bodily powerhouse effect, the delicate combination of sauteed vidalia onions, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes, topped off with a large dash of chipotle make this recipe fit for the daintiest of chefs. Recommend serving this dish with a bottle of Malbec or Zinfandel if you are feeling bold. —zazafrasca
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Ingredients
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3 tablespoons
Olive Oil
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2
cloves of Garlic, minced
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1/2
Vidalia Onion, minced
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1
Carrot, minced
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3/4 cup
Cooked Quinoa
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1/2 cup
Red Wine
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3/4 cup
Mushrooms, finely chopped
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1/2 cup
Sun-dried Tomatoes (in-oil or not - your choice)
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2 tablespoons
Balsamic Vinegar
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1/2 cup
fresh basil, finely sliced into ribbons
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1/2
Dried Chipotle Pepper, finely chopped
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1 pound
ground buffalo
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1/2 pound
ground pork
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1/3 cup
Ketchup (or tomato paste)
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2
eggs
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1 tablespoon
Worcestershire Sauce
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Salt and Pepper
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1/2 cup
shredded smoked provolone
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Olive Oil
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1 tablespoon
dried oregano
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Marinara Sauce of your preference (we prefer a thin simple sauce as the meatballs pack a punch)
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1 pound
Pasta
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finely grated Pecerino
Directions
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Heat Olive Oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Saute garlic and onions until fragrant. Add carrots and saute until soft.
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While onion mixture is cooking, soak the cooked quinoa in the red wine in a small bowl.
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Add mushrooms to medium-hot pan with onion mixture and continue to cook until all the water has been released from them. Then quickly add the sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, turning up heat to high. Stir constantly until balsamic vinegar is nearly cooked down.
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Turn pan to low. Add quinoa/wine mixture, basil, and chipotle, stirring until well combined. Salt and pepper mixture to taste and remove from heat.
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In a large bowl add cooled onion/quinoa mixture, meats, ketchup, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, cheese, oregano. Mix gently with your hands until well combined. Refrigerate mixture for at least 1 hour.
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Remove mix from fridge and mold into balls. (The size of the meatballs is completely your preference - we prefer to make them smaller when we are serving them with a long/thin pasta or large when serving with a shaped pasta.)
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Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. (The meats used here are lean so some oil is necessary for non-stick and flavor purposes.)
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Brown meatballs in batches (without crowding), turning frequently, about 5-7 minutes per batch, depending on the size of your balls.
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Meanwhile, boil water for pasta and heat your preferred Marinara sauce. Cook pasta until al dente.
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Add cooked meatballs to marinara sauce and simmer for several minutes.
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Serve pasta in bowls, ladling sauce and meatballs over it, sprinkled with cheese.
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