**This recipe was featured as part of our 2016 New Release Wine & Food Pairings.**

Suggested Wines

  • Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Red)
  • Meritage (Dry Red)

A savory and classic beef based meatball recipe. The sauce is as tart as it is sweet, making it a nice pairing with a dry, red wine.

Ingredients

Meat Balls – makes about 30

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup minced onions
  • 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup dry wine
  • 2 eggs plus 1 yolk
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 lbs 12oz ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Baking Liquid

  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 6 oz pomegranate molasses

Pomegranate Currant Sauce

  • 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
  • 1/2 cup currant jelly

 Directions

  1. Preheat over to 400F
  2. Heat oil until it shimmers in a medium saute pan. Add onions, stir and cook for about one minute. Then add garlic and stir together.
  3. Add wine to saute pan, remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes to soften onions. Allow to cool completely.
  4. Place eggs, yolk and panko crumbs in a large bowl, stir together.
  5. Add beef and remaining ingredients, including cooled onion mix. Knead together.
  6. Form meat balls using about 2 tablespoons of material for each.
  7. Mix chicken stock and pomegranate molasses well for baking liquid.
  8. Place meatballs into a lightly oiled baking pan, add baking liquid and bake uncovered at 400 degrees.
  9. Serve immediately with pomegranate currant sauce.