Yesterday Glenna and I drove to the Napa Valley and visited a variety of places, including Mustards Grill. We both had a wonderful lunch and, afterwards, we wandered through the restaurant's garden which was filled with raised beds bursting with herbs, peppers, chard, arugula and baby sweet peas. When I saw all the herbs in the garden I thought of Weekend Herb Blogging, the brainchild of the lovely Kalyn. This week WHB is being hosted by Fiber at 28 Cooks. But, I thought I'd share a few more pictures from Mustards before I reveal my WHB entry.
I wasn't very adventurous this time. I ordered one of my favorites, the grilled ahi burger, with pickled ginger, pesto aoli, and arugla. I'm a big sucker for this dish. By the way, the fries were perfectly cooked and served with the house made ketchup.
You'll have to go to Glenna's site to find out about her incredible meal. It was a new dish, one I've never seen on the menu until our visit.
For dessert, I had my favorite, the brown sugar Italian merinque lemon pie. And Glenna had an equally magnificent dessert. Again--check out her site !
OK, back to the official reason for this post, Weekend Herb Blogging. Weeks ago, when my cousin Roxie was coming for a visit, I wanted to make a
dish that was simple, could be made in advance, and stashed in the fridge until needed. I've had a
weakness for meatballs since childhood and this recipe includes
chipotles in adobo sauce, one of my favorite staples. It also contains my favorite herb, cilantro (winner of the recent WHB Favorite Herb Contest in case you hadn't heard).
This is one of those recipes that taste better each time it's reheated over the course of a few days. It's also great late at night, eaten as a snack. Oh--and it freezes very nicely, thank you very much.
Meatballs In Chipotle Sauce With Cilantro (The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook)
Sauce
1/2 onion chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
2 canned chipotle chilies en adobo, seeded and minced
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Meatballs
1 slice bread
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey or pork
4 green onions minced
1/4 cup white onion
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Garnish: Cilantro
To make sauce: Saute the onion until soft, then add the garlic, tomatoes, broth, and chilies. Simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Making meatballs: Soak the bread in the milk for a minute, then squeeze dry. Crumble the bread over the ground meats. Add the remaining ingredients, sprinkling the spices over all. Blend with a spoon, or use your hands. Form into golf ball sized balls.
Place the meatballs in a roasting pan and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Serve immediately or let cool, then refrigerate. These reheat beautifully and get better over time.
Serve garnished liberally with chopped cilantro.
The Napa Valley looks beautiful, your meal at Mustards Grill looks delicious, and your meatballs look wonderful!
The lemon meringue pie looks particularly enticing. I had to go back and take a second look at that picture. Yum! Yum! Yum!
Posted by: Julie | October 27, 2006 at 01:38 AM
Oh, me too, am a meatballs fan. Too bad i can't find that chipotle in adobo sauce here. Most interesting, the mixture of beef and turkey. I've never tried to mix the meat before. What a great idea!
Your food photos are really good. My tummy's starting to ramble...
Posted by: Mae | October 27, 2006 at 03:32 AM
mmmm... yummy! i love meatballs... any kind... anywhere... hungry...
Posted by: ann | October 27, 2006 at 05:47 AM
yes, meatballs. mee too! i recently discovered chipotle in adobo so i'm excited to see recipes, this looks wonderful i can just taste it! oh and theres that ahi burger i've been lusting after since you cooked it! thanks for thi pics of your trip, yay!
Posted by: aria | October 27, 2006 at 05:50 AM
Sher,
I thought you two ladies had such a great time out there and forgot all about WHB, hehee... oh mine that lemon pie with brown sugar meringue, worth me taking a trip to the west coast!!! But I'd save room for your splendid meatballs!
Posted by: gattina | October 27, 2006 at 06:08 AM
Must make meatball recipe soon: My husband would swoon!
So you really did Mustards!! And you really did have another piece of that unbelievable pie!! And I say, You go, girl!
Sounds like you and Glenna had a great time together. I'm so happy for you.
Posted by: Christine | October 27, 2006 at 10:43 AM
All the pics are so tempting. Gotta love the ratio of meringue to lemon! Also the meatballs are so unusual with the chipotle. I am going to make them soon.
Posted by: Callipygia | October 27, 2006 at 11:11 AM
I have some chipotle in a can and made meatballs two nights ago. Next time..I'll try your recipe!
Meatballs...yummmmmm me too.
Posted by: Melly53 | October 27, 2006 at 02:23 PM
all your work & efforts is a labor of love!
and thanks for sharing it.
i have to say, your meatballs look the tastiest on the page. what a great idea, "sher's variation on a theme."
Posted by: whaleshaman | October 27, 2006 at 11:38 PM
Julie,
I wish you could have the pie. It's always wonderful--even the candied lemon peel that they use to decorate it is the best I've ever eaten.
Mae,
Hope your tummy has stopped rumbling!!! :) I love almost any kind of meatball--they always put a smile on my face.
Ann,
Yes--meatballs are king here in my house!
Aria,
The chipotle in adobo sauce is just great! And a little of it goes a long way--so the little can lasts a long time!
Gattina,
Yes, that pie has me under it's spell. I have made a promise to myself that I will make one someday. The young woman who served us at the restaurant was new and she said they let her help make one pie--to let her see what it was like. And she loved doing it.
Christine,
Yes, we did have a good time. I was not such a pig this time when I went to Napa. We also went to Dean & Delucca--but I didn't eat anything there.
Callipygia,
The chipotle in adobo has a lovely smokey, but tangy taste, very distinctive!!! Hope you can try it.
Melly53,
I always buy lots of those little cans of chipotle in adobo soauce. I'm afraid they will disappear from the store!
Whaleshamen,
Thanks--they are very tasty meatballs. I often wind up eating one cold, right out of the fridge at night. :)
Posted by: sher | October 28, 2006 at 12:43 AM
mmmm metaballs. Rice + meetballs + french fries were my favorite combo as a kid. I never had meatballs with nutmeg and cinnamon, that sounds very interesting.
Posted by: Burcu | October 28, 2006 at 10:53 AM
The meatballs sound fabulous. I'm a big meatball freak too. This is the first meatball recipe I've seen with a latin flair. I think I'll make it. (I know, any excuse to use more cilantro. I think I have to use another herb for a week or two before some of my cilantro-hating readers just abandon me completely.)
It sounds like you ladies are having a great time.
Posted by: Kalyn | October 28, 2006 at 06:26 PM
Although the garden is a treat, the meatballs look great. I too am a big meatball fan and will try this recipe!
Posted by: Pookah | October 29, 2006 at 05:48 AM
Chipolte and Cilantro...what a power combo!
Posted by: Jeff | October 30, 2006 at 07:55 AM