Stuffed Fondue Meatballs With Fig Honey Balsamic Glaze
Stuffed Fondue Meatballs With Fig Honey Balsamic Glaze
Makes 18 meatballs. Recipe is from Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice and Sun-Maid/Jarlsberg.
1 large head garlic
1 tbl. olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rings
1 tbl. olive oil
2 tbls. sweet Riesling wine or balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 lb. pork sausage
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 tbl. Fig Honey Balsamic Glaze mixed with 1/2 teaspoon each salt, pepper and allspice (or nutmeg)
1 (11/2-oz.) piece of Jarlsberg, cut into 18 (1/2-inch) cubes
1. Make Fig Honey Balsamic Glaze (recipe follows). Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut across the top of garlic head, then place cut side up in heavy aluminum foil. Pour olive oil over exposed cloves, before enclosing garlic in foil, and place in oven to bake 45 minutes.
2. Place onion rings in a baking dish. Toss with 1 tablespoon each olive oil and wine or balsamic vinegar; sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees. At half-hour mark, toss onion rings with 1 tablespoon more wine or balsamic. When garlic and onions are cool enough to handle, remove garlic cloves from skins and combine with onion in food processor, pulsing to coarse-chop to produce 1/2 cup. Reserve 1/4 cup for another use.
3. In large mixing bowl, gently combine pork sausage and beef with glaze plus 1/4 cup roasted garlic/onion mixture. Using 1 tablespoon measure to scoop meat (a 1-ounce portion), place Jarlsberg cube in center before shaping into 1 1/4-inch-sized meatballs.
4. Place meatballs about 2 inches apart on foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs into small serve-style baking dish and drizzle with remaining glaze.
For the Fig Honey Balsamic Glaze
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 Calimyrna dried figs, stemmed and quartered
1 tbl. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. allspice (or nutmeg)
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
In saucepan, mix honey with water, vinegar, figs, brown sugar and allspice. Simmer on very low heat about 45 minutes — adding rosemary and thyme for last 15 — until liquid is reduced to half (the consistency of molasses). Remove herbs before separating liquid glaze from figs. You should have generous 1/4 cup.
Note: Process figs until smooth and, if you’d like, add reserved 1/4 cup onion/garlic mixture. Use as a spread, or add to stews and sauces.