Beef gets a round - includes recipes - how to prepare meatballs

Sunset, Sept, 1999 by Andrew Baker

* If you love meatballs but hate the mess of pan-browning them, turn to the oven for a quick fix. Shaped and baked, oven-fried meatballs are ready in minutes. Spice up basic ground beef with Italian sausage, or give it an aromatic Middle Eastern spin with pine nuts and cinnamon. Ground turkey with sage and cranberries makes an all-American blend.

Mix and match any of the meatball flavor variations with the serving suggestions that follow: tossed with penne and pungent mustard greens, sandwiched with cheese and arugula in a French roll, or wrapped with lettuce and dolloped with yogurt in pocket bread.

Italian Oven-fried Meatballs

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 20 minutes

NOTES: Serve meatballs plain or use them in the main dishes that follow.

MAKES: 4 servings

1 large egg 1/2 pound hot Italian sausages 1/2 pound ground lean beef 3 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs 3 tablespoons fat-skimmed chicken broth or water 1/3 cup finely chopped green onions Salt

1. In a large bowl, beat egg with a fork to blend. Squeeze sausages from casings into bowl; discard casings. Add beef, bread crumbs, broth, and green onions. Mix well with your hands.

2. Shape mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Set balls slightly apart in a rimmed 10- by 15-inch pan.

3. Bake in a 450 [degrees] oven until no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 12 minutes (about 9 minutes in a convection oven). Add salt to taste.

Per serving: 289 cal., 62% (180 cal.) from fat; 21 g protein; 20 g fat (7.2 g sat.); 5 g carbo (0.4 g fiber); 470 mg sodium; 118 mg chol.

Turkey-Sage Meatballs. Follow directions for Italian Oven-fried Meatballs (preceding), but instead of sausages and beef use 1 pound ground turkey. Add 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried sage and 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries.

Per serving: 255 cal., 46% (117 cal.) from fat; 23 g protein; 13 g fat (3.6 g sat.); 10 g carbo (0.8 g fiber); 133 mg sodium; 110 mg chol.

Kofte Meatballs. Follow directions for Italian Oven-fried Meatballs (preceding), but omit sausages and increase ground lean beef to 1 pound. Add 3 tablespoons pine nuts, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Per serving: 306 cal., 59% (180 cal.) from fat; 25 g protein; 20 g fat (7 g sat.); 6 g carbo (1.3 g fiber); 113 mg sodium; 119 mg chol.

3 quick meatball entrees

Penne with Mustard Greens and Meatballs. While meatballs (preceding) bake, in a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine 3/4 pound dried penne pasta, 2 1/2 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth, and 2 1/2 cups water and stir frequently over high heat until pasta is tender to bite, about 15 minutes. Add 11 cups (about 3/4 pound) chopped mustard greens (leaves only), 1 more cup fat-skimmed chicken broth, and cooked meatballs. Stir until greens are wilted and meatballs are hot, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a wide bowl; scatter 1 1/2 cups (about 6 oz.) shredded fontina cheese over pasta.

MAKES: 4 servings.

Per serving with Italian meatballs: 823 cal., 38% (315 cal.) from fat; 52 g protein; 35 g fat (16 g sat.); 73 g carbo (3 g fiber); 903 mg sodium; 168 mg chol.

Meatball Sandwich. Slice open 4 French rolls (about 6 in. long) and toast cut sides. Place 1/2 cup (2 cups total) rinsed and crisped arugula on 1 cut side of each roll. Set hot meatballs (preceding) on arugula and top with thinly sliced gouda cheese (about 4 oz. total). Add Dijon mustard to taste.

MAKES: 4 servings.

Per serving with turkey-same meatballs:

529 cal., 39% (207 cal.) from fat; 36 g protein; 23 g fat (8.9 g sat.); 43 g carbo (2.7 g fiber); 745 mg sodium; 143 mg chol.

Meatball-stuffed Pocket Breads. Cut 4 pocket breads (6 in.) in half crosswise, fill halves with cooked meatballs (preceding), and add plain nonfat yogurt (1/2 to 1 cup total) and shredded lettuce (about 2 cups total) to taste.

MAKES: 4 servings.

Per serving with kofte meatballs: 492 cal., 38% (189 cal.) from fat; 32 g protein; 21 g fat (7.2 g sat.); 43 g carbo (2.5 g fiber); 458 mg sodium; 119 mg chol.

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