LUCY BURDETTE: As much as I try to change this about myself, I adore meatballs. My eyes always stray to that dish on a menu...
and it's a special treat to eat them at home too.
Today's recipe originated with the New York Times cooking section. If you read this section, you’ll know that the recipes get lots of comments—some pure snark and some helpful tweaks. I try to take the helpful tweaks and leave the snark! For instance with this recipe, some folks commented that the meatballs tasted unremarkable. This was addressed with one cook’s glaze and the addition of the sesame oil to the meatballs. I did both of those, then dropped the meatballs into the glaze when they were baked. Served over white rice—delicious!
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (I think you could use turkey as well)
½ cup Panko
½ cup chopped scallions
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic (I forgot I was out!)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil
Mix all the ingredients together and shape into balls. Bake at 425 until cooked through, 9 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the meatballs
Ingredients for the glaze
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons chili crisp or paste
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients. You won’t really need to cook this, just warm it up.
To serve, drop meatballs into the glaze and sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds. Serve with white rice and sautéed bok choi or asparagus.
Do you read the comments in online recipes?
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A Delicious Deception has a slightly different tone than some of the earlier books, with more emphasis on family, but I loved it just as much as the rest of the series. Ms. Burdette has created characters who have grown in such natural, believable ways. She delivers an excellent mystery while also weaving in a major, emotional turning point in their lives. There is drama, murder, secrets, late-pregnancy feelings and hormones, a sick father-in-law, home renovations, a fun baby shower, and friends and family ready to tackle whatever comes their way. And in the end, a beautiful baby! Escape with Dollycas
This cozy mystery expertly balances personal stakes with a fast-paced plot in a consistent Burdette fashion. It’s a suspenseful, heart-filled addition to the series that proves Hayley is just as effective at solving crimes as she is at critiquing menus. Netgalley reviewer
USA Today bestselling author Lucy Burdette writes the Key West food critic mystery series including A POISONOUS PALATE and A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS. Join her mailing list right here.
