Chimichurri Meatballs with Au Gratin Potato Stacks

Chimichurri Meatballs with Au Gratin Potato Stacks

Potato Ingredients:

- 2 lbs of Yellow Potatoes (approx. 5-6 medium/large sized)

- 4 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream

- 4 Tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese

- 1 Tablespoon of Minced Garlic

- Salt & Pepper to Taste

- Oil Olive for Greasing Pan

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400* F and use your olive oil to grease a muffin tin.

2. Using a mandolin, carefully slice your potatoes into 1/8 inch slices.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine your potatoes, heavy cream, garlic, parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.

4. Thoroughly mix together until all of the potatoes are evenly coated.

5. Evenly stack your potatoes into the muffin tins. I stacked mine a little higher than the top of the tray but you don't want to stack them too tall.

6. Once the oven is preheated, place muffin tin on the center rack and bake for 50 minutes or until the tops are brown and crispy.

Meatball Ingredient:

- 1 lb Ground Pork

- 1/2 lb Ground Beef

- 1/2 Cup of Breadcrumbs (your choice here, panko would work well, I used Italian seasoned breadcrumbs)

- 1 Egg

- 2-3 Green Onions, Minced (I incorporate the whites and the greens together)

- 3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

- 1/2 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic

- 1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

- Salt & Pepper to Taste

- Vegetable Oil for Cooking

Meatball Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix thoroughly by hand until they are well incorporated. Then let stand about 10-15 minutes so that the breadcrumbs absorb some of the moisture. I usually make the chimichurri while the meat mixture is resting.

2. In a medium sized skillet, over medium-high heat, heat just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

3. While your oil is heating up, roll your meat mixture into 1" balls and set out on a sheet pan.

4. Once your pan is hot, cook your meatballs in three separate groups. You don't want to crowd the pan. They should take about 7-8 minutes to cook through if you rotate them 3-4 times so that all of the sides get a good sear on them.

5. Once the meatballs are cooked let rest on a paper towel or cooling rack.

Chimichurri Sauce Ingredients:

- 1/2 Cup of Fresh Cilantro Finely Chopped

- 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil (more or less depending on how thin you like your sauce)

- 1/4 Cup of Red Wine Vinegar

- Juice From Half of a Lemon

- Red Pepper Flakes

- Salt & Pepper to Taste

Chimichurri Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. You may need to add more lemon juice depending on how bright you want your sauce to taste.

Assembly:

On a small plate, place a stack of potatoes. Top potatoes with a single meatball. Spoon a small amount of chimichurri over the top.

This could be served individually as appetizers or just pile them on a plate like we did and eat a whole bunch of them for a meal!