Swedish Meatball Slider

Swedish Meatball Slider

I often like to throw in snazzy updates to food that could otherwise be described as "blah." Amber likes it when I cook food that is smaller in portion size, so I figured sliders were a great idea to combine A) something I could play around with and B) a bite-size meal. It also just so happens that sliders are extremely versatile. Eating just one is a meal in itself, or two suffices as a main course. Go crazy and use them as little hors d'oeurves? I mean, what DOESN'T complement a pretzel bun? Your guests will thank you. :) Top with parsley and/or bacon for extra flavor.

Ingredients:

For the caramelized onions

1 large onion, sliced

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

For the meatballs

2 slices fresh white bread

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup onion, grated

A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound ground pork

2 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 

For the sauce

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups beef broth

1/4 cup heavy cream 

For the sandwiches

8 Pretzel Buns, split

1/4 cup caramelized onions

8 slices provolone cheese

Step 1 - Make the caramelized onions.

Over medium to medium high heat, add butter and oil in a medium pan and cook until butter is melted. Meanwhile, chop onion into 1/2 inch pedals. Add chopped onion to pan and stir to coat. Spread onions out in a single layer and allow to lightly brown, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes). Make sure to scrape all the brown bits from the pan when stirring. Once onions are lightly browned, lower the heat medium low and add salt and sugar (if using). Cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every few minutes to allow onions to develop a deep rich chocolate color. Once onions reached desired color, stir in the balsamic vinegar and remove from heat. Set aside to make meatballs.

Step 2 - Make the meatballs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Shred bread by hand into a small bowl and mix in milk, set aside. Combine remaining ingredients for meatballs in a large bowl and add soaked bread. Form meat into balls with a 1 1/2 inch diameter.

Heat a large stainless steel skillet under medium high heat. Add butter and oil to pan and allow to melt. Add meatballs one at a time to skillet and brown on all sides (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). After they are browned, place meatballs on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and cook in oven for another 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Step 3 - Make the sauce

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from skillet you used to brown the meatballs and place over medium high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 2 minutes, to cook out the flour taste. Vigorously whisk in beef broth and allow to thicken. Whisk in cream and allow to cook another 3 minutes.

 

Step 4 - Assemble sliders

Take a pretzel bun and layer in this way: bottom half of bun, meatball, sauce, cheese, caramelized onions, top half of bun.

Serve and enjoy!

Cajun Vacation

Gumbo

Amber and I love to travel! Nothing makes us happier than experiencing new things and places, be it BBQ on Beale Street or Italian food in Cleveland's Little Italy, we're up for almost anything, anytime and anywhere. Alas, as many couples experience, our schedules and the kids can make it difficult to get out of town. One of our favorite places to visit is New Orleans and we consistently romanticize about our next trip to the Vieux Carre. To help alleviate cabin fever, I decided to make one of our favorite dishes when we do visit, gumbo.  

Patience is an absolute must for this recipe. It takes hours to develop the deep, rich flavor that only slow cooking can provide, but the end result is well worth your labor. Years ago when Emeril Live! was still on the air, Mr. Lagasse said that the amount of time it takes to make the roux is "two beers." This recipe is adapted from Emeril's. I strongly suggest prepping all of your ingredients ahead of time so that you can concentrate on developing flavor. This recipe is so good that even though it makes enough for 6 people, it was gone the next day between the two of us. Serve over steamed rice garnished with parsley, green onion and/or hot sauce.

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 onion, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

3 bay leaves

6 cups chicken broth

1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks

1 tablespoon cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon file powder

4 cups steamed rice

Directions:

Combine the oil and flour in a large cast iron or enameled cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisking slowly and constantly for about 30 minutes until the roux becomes the color of chocolate. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and continue to whisk for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir until the roux mixture and stock are well combined. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Season the chicken with cajun seasoning and add to pot. Simmer for 2 more hours. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat and stir in parsley, green onions, and file powder. Remove the bay leaves and serve over steamed rice. Garnish with green onion, parsley, and/or hot sauce.