Mary Pat's Eggplant & Turkey Meatballs
In our world food revelations are not infrequent; one certainly struck us upon first tasting Mary Pat Lazzaro Werth's eggplant turkey meatballs. Below is not so much a recipe but a technique for recreating.
Cafe Drake started with 1 1/4 lbs. of ground free-range turkey. To this add 2 beaten eggs and about 1/2 cup grated onion. Minced is fine but as these meatballs are so delicate in texture you'll need two knifes to mince the onions finely enough. Throw in a couple of cloves of minced garlic and plenty of salt and pepper - it takes more than you imagine so season bravely. Add 1 t. smoked paprika and set aside.
Before you begin assembling the meatballs you'll need to roast an eggplant at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes or until extremely soft. Allow the eggplant to cool and then peel - chop the inside of the vegetable finely, discarding the peel.
OK, so now add the eggplant to the turkey mixture along with any other ingredients you desire . . . minced fresh herbs, minced red bell peppers, chilies etc. We didn't use any of these and yet the results were perfection. Finally, add in the bread crumbs. You must use the dried variety and toss in 1/2 cup at a time until you get a mixture that holds together and isn't too too sticky. Shape into balls and carefully place in a large, deep skillet simmering with at least 2 cups of marinara sauce, your own or store-bought is fine.
Cook covered, over a low flame for about 30 minutes. Gently turn the meatballs once or twice during the cooking process but be careful - they fall apart easily.
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