Korean BBQ Meatballs with Spicy Mayo Sauce

 

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I'm a huge Stanley Tucci fan. Love his acting and love his passion for food even more. Watched every single second of his CNN culinary hit "Searching for Italy" in 2021 and 2022. Now he has a brand new show airing on National Geographic (and streaming on Hulu) called "Tucci in Italy".....and it's even better than the first show!

When it comes to his food shows and cookbooks...he expresses his deep love for all things Italian. But I stumbled across his recipe for Korean BBQ Meatballs with Spicy Mayo Sauce. I could tell from the ingredients I would love it, so I made it for Becky and I last Tuesday night. While the meatballs were outstanding....his recipe for the sauce knocked me over. It really makes this dish and I would drink it by the effin' barrel if I could.

INGREDIENTS

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground pork

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 tablespoon green onions, chopped

1 large egg, beaten (shell discarded)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Spicy Mayo Sauce

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sriracha

1 tablespoon  rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well until fully blended. Then roll the mixture into small, evenly sized meatballs (about 1-1/2 inches in diameter). Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes until they are golden brown.
4. While meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously until the sauce is smooth.
5. Serve. Plate the cooked meatballs and drizzle with the spicy mayo or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.

Wine pairing: Zinfandel

Tortellini Pasta Salad

 

Love a big bowl of pasta but worry about the carb load? What if your favorite comfort food could get a healthy makeover with one simple trick? It turns out, today's leftover pasta might be better for you than yesterday's freshly cooked dish.

When you first cook starchy foods like pasta or rice, the starch molecules are open and easy for your body to break down quickly into sugar. But let that pasta cool down in the fridge and something fascinating happens. The starch molecules huddle together, transforming into "resistant starch." Think of it as the pasta's starch going into a defensive, harder-to-digest mode.

This resistant starch acts more like fiber. That means your body digests it slower, leading to a more gradual rise in blood sugar and keeping you feeling full longer – a big plus for anyone, especially those managing diabetes.

 So, by simply chilling your pasta you're unlocking benefits like improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels, better gut health and even a slight boost in calorie burning because your body works harder to process it. Who knew...but pasta night just got a lot healthier! This New York Times recipe makes four entree servings.

INGREDIENTS

20 ounces of tortellini (4-cheese or other flavors)

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1, 12-ounce jar sliced, roasted red peppers, drained

4 ounces of salami, cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

Crushed red pepper 

3 handfuls baby arugula

DIRECTIONS

1. In a pot of heavily salted water, cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain into a colander, rinse with cold water until it is all cool to the touch. Shake dry, then place pasta in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
2. When the pasta has chilled, place a large bowl on the counter. To the bowl, add pasta, red onion, peppers, salami, oil and vinegar and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper until the salad is flavorful. Stir in the arugula. Serve.

Wine pairing: Chianti

Old Bay Chicken Thighs

 

These air-fried chicken thighs make for a great weeknight dinner. The prep will take you less than two minutes....then you just toss the thighs in your air fryer for a quick 20 minute session. I sure prefer chicken thighs over breast meat.  The dark meat and fat ensure that that every bite will be moist and tender....and the crisp, air-fried chicken skin is one of the greatest pleasures you can gift your palate.  

For this recipe, it's not necessary to use Old Bay Seasoning. In fact, 4 teaspoons of your favorite seasoning will work just as well. Lawry's, Famous Dave's, dry ranch dressing, Montreal Steak Seasoning....anything that pleases you will fit the bill. And if you have no seasoned salt on hand, make your own. I suggest mixing 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.

INGREDIENTS

4 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

4 chicken thighs (about 6-ounces each)

DIRECTIONS

1. Poke skin side of each thigh 10 times with a metal skewer. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning.
2. Spray a small amount of oil in the bottom of the basket. Arrange chicken thighs skin-side up in the air fryer basket, spaced evenly apart. Place basket in air fryer and set air fryer temp to 375º (no pre-heating required). Cook until skin is well-browned and crisp,  20 minutes (chicken should be at 185º). Do not flip chicken during your cook.
3. Transfer chicken to a large plate, tent with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then serve.

Pairing: An oaky Chardonnay