Grilled Meatballs With Scallion and Shaved Cheese Salad

Submitted by Karen in CT

"MAKE AHEAD The poached meatballs can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before grilling. NOTES Preserved lemons, a staple of cooking in Morocco and Tunisia, are made by salt curing. They’re available at specialty food stores and Middle Eastern markets. These savory meatballs are made with a mixture of lamb, veal and bacon and, surprisingly, a little ricotta cheese to keep everything moist. He serves them on an unconventional salad of grilled scallions with shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano. ingredients WINE: 2002 Bastianich Vespa Rosso—a velvet-textured blend of Cabernet, Merlot and the local red grape variety Refosco. Or a vivid Washington State Merlot, such as the raspberry-rich 2003 Hogue Genesis. From Food & Wine 2/07."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 2 lbs ground veal
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 slices bacon, minced
• 1⁄4 cup shallot, minced
• 1⁄4 cup fine fresh breadcrumb
• 1⁄4 cup fresh ricotta
• 1⁄4 cup montasio cheese (freshly grated) or 1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• kosher salt
• 3 cups chicken stock or 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 1⁄2 lbs thin scallions, trimmed
• vegetable oil, for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, shaved
• 1 preserved lemon, halved (see Note)

directions

1. Light a grill. In a large bowl, mix the ground veal and lamb with the eggs, bacon, shallots, fresh bread crumbs, ricotta, montasio and 2 T of salt. Shape the mixture into 40 golf ball-size meatballs.
2. In a wide saucepan, bring the chicken stock and water to a boil. Add half of the meatballs and simmer over medium-low heat until just cooked through (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked meatballs to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.
3. On another large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle scallions with vegetable oil and season with salt. Working in 3 batches, grill scallions over high heat for about 2 minutes, turning once, until charred on both sides; return the grilled scallions to the baking sheet. Gently toss the grilled scallions with the olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings. Grill the preserved lemon halves over high heat, cut side down, for about 4 minutes, or until charred. Squeeze the grilled lemon halves over the scallions and toss again. Arrange the scallions on a platter.
4. Lightly drizzle meatballs with vegetable oil and roll to coat. Grill the meatballs over high heat, rolling to turn them, until lightly charred all over and heated through, (about 3 minutes total). Using tongs, arrange the meatballs on top of the scallions and serve.