Turkey & Rice Meatballs (Albondigas) – Perfect for Spanish Thanksgiving

Making delicious meatballs with fatty, flavorful beef is no great feat, but creating something as delectable using ground turkey is another story. As the old joke goes, it may be bland, but at least it’s dry. So, you’re going to need a very specialized strategy, and by “specialized strategy,” I mean some cold, leftover rice.

As these simmer in your sauce or soup, the grains of rice absorb moisture, swell up, and create a relatively tender, moist meatball. Above and beyond that, you’ll also want to look for ground turkey thigh meat (available at most of your higher-priced grocery chains).

By the way, like all meatball/meatloaf recipes, you can test your seasoning by cooking a small piece of the mixture before rolling your ball. Even though the meat hasn’t simmered in the sauce yet, at least you can see if it needs more salt. I’ll just fry up a little patty, and adjust if need be, and suggest you do the same.

I didn’t intend this recipe to be a Thanksgiving dinner alternative, but now that I think about it, these could actually work. Maybe you have a small group, or don’t like looking at a giant carcass on the table (hey, some people are weird like that), or your in-laws are Spanish, and you want to show them you can pronounce “albondigas.”  Whatever the occasion, I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 20-24 small meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey thigh meat

1 packed cup cooked white long grain rice
3 cloves crushed garlic 
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 large egg

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce (I didn’t measure these ingredients, so these are just guesses)

2 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon paprika

1/3 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Lamb & Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves – Hours to Make, Seconds to Eat, Totally Worth It

There’s no getting around the fact that these lamb and rice stuffed grape leaves, aka “dolmas,” take some time and effort to put together, but at least they’ll all be gone in just a few minutes. What I’m trying to say is, maybe make a double batch.

If you order these at your favorite Mediterranean restaurant, you’ve probably enjoyed the more common meatless version, but I really do love the lamb in these. The technique works the same no matter what you use, but of course, how much rice you use will affect how much liquid you need.

As far as the grape leaves go, I’ve only done these with the ones in the jar, which work great for me. I’ve heard these are even better with fresh grape leaves, but where the heck am I going to get my hands on those in Northern California?

As I mentioned in the video, these are wonderful at any temperature, which makes them a great option for parties. You can put them out warm, knowing that they’ll be just as delicious when they are cold. I garnished mine very simply with lemon and olive oil, but any cold yogurt sauce makes for a beautiful dip. I really hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 32 Lamb & Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves:

1/2 pound ground lamb

rounded 1/2 cup long grain rice

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoon currants

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon dry oregano

2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 large egg

1 jar (16-oz) grape leaves, drained and rinsed

To cook the “Dolmas:”

4 cups chicken broth (tip: use already hot to save time)

Juice of one lemon

drizzle of olive oil

- Simmer, covered, gently for about 45 minutes or until rice is tender. I usually check at around 35 minutes, and play it by ear from there.

Avgolemeno Soup – Totally Epic

Avgolemeno is one of those soups that I’ve made many times, but rarely from scratch. It’s usually a “there’s nothing in the house” type of thing, made with a carton of broth. Even in its quick-and-easy form, it’s a delicious, and comforting meal, but when you use a fresh, whole chicken, it becomes epic.

By the way, I mean “epic” as in ancient Greek poetry, not hipster cliché. Okay, I mean it both ways. Speaking of whole chickens, that’s your big decision here. If you want chicken meat in your soup, then you’ll only want to simmer the bird for about an hour, or just until cooked through.

This way you get a nice broth, and the meat will still be flavorful when you add it back in. If you don’t want meat in the soup, which by the way, is how my wife Michele much prefers it, then keep simmering until the chicken falls apart and all the flavor has been extracted into the broth.

Some recipes call for orzo pasta in this, but I like the Arborio rice. I think it gives just the right amount of starchiness and body, but any rice or small pasta will work here. The perfect amounts of lemon and egg are also up to you, and experimentation is recommended. I really hope you give this classic Greek soup a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 6 Servings Avgolemeno Soup: 

1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds

3 quarts cold water

2 tsp salt at least, plus more to taste

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups finely diced onion

2/3 to 3/4 cup Arborio rice, depending on how thick you like it

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

pinch of cayenne

Mardi Gras Special: Red Beans and Rice – Comfortably Yum

Any time someone asks the question, “What exactly is soul food,” the answer should always be a comforting bowl of red beans and rice. Just sit them down, give them a spoon, and when they finish, ask them if they understand. They will.

Like I say in the intro, there are thousands of ways you can make this, using all sorts of smoked pig parts and sausages, but there are really only two ways you can serve it – thin and soupy, or thick and creamy.

Once you slowly simmered your beans, and they’re very, very soft and tender, and your meats are falling apart, you’re ready to serve. If you ladle it up as is, you’ll have something that’s fairly loose, with most of the beans still whole. It’s great like this, and based on my travels to New Orleans, the more common style.

However, another popular technique is to smash and stir some of the cooked beans into the mixture as you continue cooking. This creates a much thicker, and creamier consistency, which I really enjoy when I want something a bit more substantial. It’s closer to a chili texture, and I love how the rice sticks to it.

This is totally up to personal taste, so if you’ve never made it before, try some on rice as soon as the beans are tender, and it’s still pretty juicy. Check it out, and then, if you want, you can continue cooking/smashing/stirring to end up closer to where I did.

Regardless of how thick you make yours, you’ll want to soak your beans overnight in cold water before starting the recipe. If you forget, which you will, you can always use the quick method. Bring the beans to a boil in large pot of water, turn off the heat, and let it sit there for an hour or so to soften up, and become easier to digest.

If you put enough meat in it, this is more than a meal, but it also makes a great side dish for barbeque, or pretty much anything. Throw in some collard greens, and maybe some cornbread, and let the good times roll. I hope you give this easy, red beans and recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

12 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced or cubed

1 cup finely diced onion

3/4 cup finely diced celery

3/4 cup finely diced green peppers

4 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 quarts chicken broth or water, plus more as needed to adjust consistency

1 pound red kidney beans, soaked overnight

about 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
hot sauce to taste