A New Recipe and Other Things

Happy Monday!

Before I get into the good stuff, I wanted to point out how this newsletter works.  I post it on a platform called Substack so that it has a place to live.  It is totally free, but if you subscribe, it will show up in your inbox when I publish it.  You can also look back on previous newsletters and you can leave a comment or question.  I receive more emails in response to my newsletter than comments on the thread and I found out that people don’t realize that at the very bottom of the newsletter is a place to comment.  Ok, moving on!

I went to a lovely book signing for the newest cookbook to come out of the Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen called “At Home.”  It’s a beautiful book with many enticing recipes, but - this doesn’t bother me but I know some people don’t like this - there is not a photo for every recipe. Just mentioning that.  Last Monday on IG live, Hubs and I made the Greek Chicken Meatballs with Orzo and Feta and it was delicious!  I made a few adjustments, but we both thought it was worth making again and a nice one-pot meal. 

Here’s the recipe:

Greek Chicken Meatballs with Orzo and Feta 

Makes 4-6 servings

For the Meatballs: 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 

¾ lb (340 g) ground chicken breast meat

¾ lb (340 g) ground chicken thigh meat

1 large egg

½ cups (1 ¾ oz/50 g) panko bread crumbs

¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) plus 2 tablespoons plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup (2 fl oz/ 60 ml) neutral oil, such as canola, plus more as needed

For the Orzo: 

5 tablespoons (2 ½ oz/70 g) unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb orzo pasta

¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) dry white wine

4 cups (32 fl oz/950 ml) chicken stock, homemade or purchased

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ lb (115 g) baby kale coarsely chopped

¼ lb (115 g) feta cheese, crumbled, plus more for garnish

1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Pickled red onion, for garnish

1. To make the meatballs, in a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the oregano, cumin, coriander, and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir until the onion is evenly coated, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, the cooled onion mixture, the egg, panko, yogurt, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Using your hands, gently but thoroughly mix until combined. Using a large spoon, form the meat mixture into 16-18 meatballs, each about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) in diameter. 

3. Wipe out the pot used to cook the onion, set over medium-high heat, and warm with neutral oil. Working in batches, add the meatballs and sear, turning occasionally, until well browned all over, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Add more oil to the pot between batches as needed. Wipe out the pot. 

4. Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). 

5. To make the orzo, in the same pot over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the orzo, and stir until the orzo is coated with butter-garlic mixture, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Remove from the heat. Add the stock and a big pinch of salt, stirring to coat the orzo. 

6. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook, stirring halfway through, until the orzo is just tender and the broth is absorbed 20-25 minutes. 

7. Remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the kale, feta, vinegar, mint, dill, and oregano, stirring until the butter is melted and the kale is wilted. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. 

8. Arrange the meatballs on top, nesting them slightly in the orzo. Drizzle olive oil over all. Return the pot, uncovered to the oven and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with feta, mint, dill, oregano, and pickled onion and serve immediately. 

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Hubs had the craziest thing happen to him recently. He was eating at someone’s house and felt a small piece of wire lodged in the inside of his cheek.  It was from a wire grill brush that was used to clean the grill and a piece fell off and stuck onto the food that went on the grill.  Totally coincidentally, the day before I decided to toss our wire brush and buy the BBQ Daddy.  Not sponsored.  BTW, nothing on my newsletter is sponsored.  It has no bristles and is easy to use and did an amazing job.  I am so happy I bought it.

I went to Saltie Girl in LA for dinner last weekend.  They have a huge “tinned fish” menu which I love.  Order a tinned fish/shellfish and it is served on a small board with delicious bread, whipped butter, pepper relish and a trio of salts.  Tinned fish boards are the new charcuterie! I love the whole menu and the vibe, but I’m not sure it’s worth the exorbitant prices.  That said, restaurant prices are all higher.  Time to invite people over.  Do a potluck if it’s too much.  I have people coming over next weekend and I am 100% doing a tinned fish board (for a fraction of the price.)

My friend told me about a new (?) carbonated beverage she and her husband like called Poppi.  I had never heard of it before but I happened to see it in Costco so I bought a case.  My son and I loved it!  It supposedly contains probiotics (through raw apple cider vinegar), very little sugar, some juice, only 25 calories a can.  I have no idea if this brand has been tested for PFAS, and yes, I think we’re all better off drinking filtered water and high quality matcha ;), BUT is this type of soda better than alcohol?  100%.  Remember that nutrition and food choices are in the context of our choices.  And we don’t have to be perfect. 

We had not binged a television show in a while, but we just finished “Beef” in a few days.  It is a series that starts with a road rage incident and spirals from there.  It is pretty intense and crazy, but we couldn’t stop watching it.  Another show we enjoyed, but very different, was Jury Duty which is actually a very unique reality show and quite funny.

xxPamela