Ma Niche : meatballs

So what salads have you been enjoying lately ? Lavish ones with creamy dressings or simple ones with lots of veggies, fruits, greens and a simple citrusy vinaigrette. We here have a new favorite. This Chicken Meatball Salad .....

Like our other favorite, Wheat Berry and Chickpea salad, this salad is inspired by a recipe from Around the French Table, Salade Niçoise. Back in October, the Doristas made Salade Niçoise for French Fridays with Dorie. I too had assembled the salad for myself. However substituting the canned tuna and anchovies with Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs, I prepared this version for my non-fish-eating husband and then tasted a spoonful of both and thought... hmmm.. "the Niçoise salad is good but this is DELICIOUS !" Ever since the has become a staple for Sunday lunch and each time we seem to enjoy it even more..

The salad is actually quite simple to prepare and gets done in no time provide you have the meatballs ready. The first time, I had prepared the salad with leftover chicken meatballs from the previous day. But it is worth the effort to make these meatballs just for the salad... Here is how I make them...

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs Recipe Adapted from The Kitchn
Preparation Time : minimum 1 hour +10 minutes Cooking Time: 22 minutes Yields: 20
Ingredients 1 cup cooked black or green lentils (see notes) 3 tbsps Port wine 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 clove of garlic grated 1/2 pound ground chicken 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2/3 cups bread crumbs (see notes) 1/4 cup feta cheese 1 small onion, chopped (and caramelized if you have the time) 8 black olives, chopped 1 tbsp capers, chopped 4-5 strings of cilantro, trimmed and chopped 1/2 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp dill 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground pepper oil for glazing - Instructions Put all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix them well. I use my hands for mixing. You can however use a wooden spoon if you like. Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When ready to make the meatballs,line 2 baking trays with parchment paper, center a baking rack and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With well oiled hands, shape the refrigerated mixture into 2 inch round balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Since the balls do not spread much you can place them close by. Now transfer the trays into the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the meatballs are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before proceeding further.... - Notes : I have this recipe with both green lentils and black masoor . I my opinion the one with green lentils taste better. If using black masoor, use only half the quantity as they tend to make the meatballs very dense. To make fresh bread crumbs, toast a day old bread in the oven at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Then pulverize in the food processor till you have the bread crumbs.

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs

Recipe Adapted from The Kitchn

Preparation Time : minimum 1 hour +10 minutes Cooking Time: 22 minutes Yields: 20

Ingredients

1 cup cooked black or green lentils (see notes)
3 tbsps Port wine
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic grated
1/2 pound ground chicken
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cups bread crumbs (see notes)
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 small onion, chopped (and caramelized if you have the time)
8 black olives, chopped
1 tbsp capers, chopped
4-5 strings of cilantro, trimmed and chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
oil for glazing

Instructions

Put all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix them well. I use my hands for mixing. You can however use a wooden spoon if you like.
Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
When ready to make the meatballs,line 2 baking trays with parchment paper, center a baking rack and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
With well oiled hands, shape the refrigerated mixture into 2 inch round balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Since the balls do not spread much you can place them close by.
Now transfer the trays into the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the meatballs are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before proceeding further....

Notes :

I have this recipe with both green lentils and black masoor . I my opinion the one with green lentils taste better. If using black masoor, use only half the quantity as they tend to make the meatballs very dense.
To make fresh bread crumbs, toast a day old bread in the oven at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Then pulverize in the food processor till you have the bread crumbs.

The chicken meatballs are delicious appetizers by themselves. So if you are not a salad person, you can skip all the veggies, greens and vinaigrette (basically, the rest of the post) and enjoy the meatballs as appetizer with Tzatzaki or bake it in yogurt sauce and enjoy it with stuffed Naan, the way we did till the salad happened...

In case you are a salad person then read on....

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs Salad Inspired by Salade Niçoise from Around the French Table
Preparation Time : 30-45 minutes Assembling Time : 10-15minutes Serves : 2
Ingredients 8 Mediterranean chicken meatballs, quartered (prepared as above) 6 small potatoes 1/2 cup green beans, trimmed 2 large eggs 1 big tomato, cut into 16 parts 1 medium sized onion, chopped 8 black olives, halved or quartered 4 oz baby spinach, chopped for the vinaigrette 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard (you can use more or less according to taste) 3 tbsps extra virgin oil 1 tbsp capers, crushed or finely chopped 1 clove garlic, grated (optional) salt and pepper to taste - Instructions Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. You can either boil the potatoes in salted water or roast them in the oven. We like the taste of roasted potatoes, so if I have enough time in hand I roast it. To roast the potatoes, peel them and soak in water for at least an hour. Then toss them in oil, sprinkle salt and pepper and bake in oven at 450 degrees F for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Cut the green beans into 3/4-1 inch long pieces. Toss them in a pot of boiling water. 6 minutes later drain the beans and run them under cold water. Pat dry and keep aside. In case you do not mind the boiled yolks, hard boil the eggs and slice them as you please for the salad. We do not like boiled yolks, so I separate the egg white and the yolks, save the yolks for later and boil the eggs whites using the method for Ruffly Poached Eggs. To assemble the salad, toss the greens in half of the vinaigrette and lay it on the plate. Then place the quartered meatballs, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, onions and olives in any fashion you like. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top. Now serve, dig in and enjoy !

Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs Salad

Inspired by Salade Niçoise from Around the French Table

Preparation Time : 30-45 minutes Assembling Time : 10-15minutes Serves : 2

Ingredients

8 Mediterranean chicken meatballs, quartered (prepared as above)
6 small potatoes
1/2 cup green beans, trimmed
2 large eggs
1 big tomato, cut into 16 parts
1 medium sized onion, chopped
8 black olives, halved or quartered
4 oz baby spinach, chopped
for the vinaigrette

1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard (you can use more or less according to taste)
3 tbsps extra virgin oil
1 tbsp capers, crushed or finely chopped
1 clove garlic, grated (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

You can either boil the potatoes in salted water or roast them in the oven. We like the taste of roasted potatoes, so if I have enough time in hand I roast it. To roast the potatoes, peel them and soak in water for at least an hour. Then toss them in oil, sprinkle salt and pepper and bake in oven at 450 degrees F for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Cut the green beans into 3/4-1 inch long pieces. Toss them in a pot of boiling water. 6 minutes later drain the beans and run them under cold water. Pat dry and keep aside.

In case you do not mind the boiled yolks, hard boil the eggs and slice them as you please for the salad. We do not like boiled yolks, so I separate the egg white and the yolks, save the yolks for later and boil the eggs whites using the method for Ruffly Poached Eggs.

To assemble the salad, toss the greens in half of the vinaigrette and lay it on the plate. Then place the quartered meatballs, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, onions and olives in any fashion you like. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top. Now serve, dig in and enjoy !

I shall be sharing this at the following parties.