MARMALADE MEATBALLS

MARMALADE MEATBALLS Yields 20-25 meatballs 1 pound ground chuck (80/20 works well) ½ cup panko bread crumbs 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce or 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, minced 2 green onions (white & light green parts), chopped 1 large egg, beaten 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 garlic clove, minced ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon allspice For the Marmalade Sauce: ¾ cup orange marmalade 1 tablespoon + 1½ teaspoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon + 1½ teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce ¼-½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) Garnish options: Fresh chopped chives, cilantro or parsley Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set an oven rack to middle-top position or about 6 inches from the heat source. Set oven to broil (if cooking immediately). In a large bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce (or the anchovies), scallions, egg, salt, garlic, ginger, black pepper and allspice. Mix gently until well combined. Form the beef mixture into 1¼” balls. (At this point, the meatballs can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated overnight.) If cooking the meatballs immediately, place them on the prepared baking sheet 1-inch apart. Broil the meatballs 5 minutes. Remove meatballs from the oven and turn them over to brown on the other side. Broil an additional 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. While meatballs cook, make the Marmalade Sauce. In a small saucepan, combine marmalade, cider vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until sauce thickens enough to adhere to the meatballs. When meatballs are cooked through, dip them in the sauce and return them to the baking sheet. To get the marmalade orange zest slices on each meatball, pile a little bit of the orange zest (from the sauce) onto each meatball. Place the tray of meatballs back under the broiler and cook until the glaze is bubbling, approximately 1½-2 minutes. Watch closely. Garnish with chopped chives, cilantro or parsley. If serving as a meal, buttery polenta or mashed potatoes work beautifully. The meatballs make a wonderful appetizer or a main dish.