from Club W recipe pairing card
serves 4
2 cups store-bought romesco sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb ground beef
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup fine dried breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
1 tsp dried oregano
3 oz fontina cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 Tbsp avocado oil for searing
salt and pepper
Pour the romesco into a large pot, and simmer over low heat to keep warm.
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until the shallot is translucent (1-2 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl to cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, add the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, mint, parsley, oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Gently fold the mixture together. Using a 1/4 cup of meat mixture, form each meatball around a cheese cube. You should end up with 8-10 equally-sized meatballs.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add as many meatballs as you can without crowding the pan. Working in batches, sear the sides of the meatballs until a golden-brown crust forms all over (30-45 seconds per side). Add more oil as needed.
Place the cooked meatballs into the warm romesco sauce, and cover so they're completely immersed. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the meatballs are cooked through (15-20 minutes). Garnish with chopped parsley.
my notes: sub almond meal for breadcrumbs; try almond cheese for fontina.