Does this picture look odd? The color of the cranberry sauce looks like nail polish, but trust me, it tasted very good. I imagine many people have figured out that I'm mad for meatballs, and this recipe also fulfills my quest to eat iron rich foods. Turkey is high in iron, and the cranberries supply vitamin C, which facilitates absorption of iron into the body.
These aren't my favorite meatballs, but I liked the taste of the fresh oregano in the recipe, coupled with the
tart, sweet cranberry sauce. Fresh oregano tastes very different to me than when it's dried. I like them both, but prefer Penzeys excellent dried oregano, which explodes with flavor and aroma. But, the bitter, pine taste of fresh oregano seemed the perfect herb to complement the cranberry sauce. And it seems a good recipe for Weekend Herb Blogging, the weekly event created by our marvelous Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen. This week WHB is being hosted by the lovely Simona at Briciole, where you will find a recap of herby recipes from bloggers around the world.
Herbed Turkey Meatballs With Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small celery stalk, finely chopped
1 lb. ground turkey
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 egg
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
Directions:
Make the meatballs
Preheat an oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.
In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and sauté until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Spoon into a bowl and let cool. Set the pan aside.
Add the turkey, bread crumbs, egg, oregano, salt and pepper to the cooled onion mixture, and mix gently but thoroughly with your hands. Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
Cook the meatballs and make the sauce
Bake the meatballs until opaque throughout, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the orange juice, cranberries and sugar in the fry pan and place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the juice comes to a boil and the cranberries begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes.
Divide the meatballs among dinner plates, spoon the cranberry sauce over them and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Delicious! I love meatballs and cranberries... An appetizing dish!
cheers,
Rosa
Posted by: Rosa | July 10, 2008 at 01:19 AM
I grow fresh oregano in my garden -- but seldom use it as a fresh herb. Instead, I dry it in a screen my husband made out of an old window frame, and use it in the winter as a dried herb. When I run out of my own supply, I order from Penzeys!
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | July 10, 2008 at 02:57 AM
Sher, I don't think it looks like nail polisher! :)
You always make the best meat balls!
Posted by: Patricia Scarpin | July 10, 2008 at 05:21 AM
Hmmm, I did not know that turkey was high in iron. I really love your meatball fetish! Personally I think just about anything with ground meat tastes best shaped into meatballs, and this looks delicious. This year I have something in my garden called "Italian Oregano" which I'm using quite a bit.
Posted by: Kalyn | July 10, 2008 at 06:46 AM
Wow. It looks fantastic to me. Love the idea of turkey meatballs and cranberry sauce! Seems perfect. Yes, I do understand your fascination for meatballs and especially am enjoying them more since I got several of those different size meatballer thingies. So I'm happy for you to keep rolling in the meatballs!!
Posted by: MyKitchenInHalfCups | July 10, 2008 at 07:54 AM
I love oregano and I love meatballs so this one is for me. And the cranberry sauce just looks delish.
Posted by: [eatingclub] vancouver || js | July 10, 2008 at 08:16 AM
This looks soooooo good! And not at all like nail polish. Now where's my ground turkey...?
Posted by: Christine | July 10, 2008 at 05:07 PM
no, that picture doesn't look odd. it looks fantastic. bring on thanksgiving!
Posted by: grace | July 11, 2008 at 01:32 AM
This makes me want it to be Fall.
Posted by: peabody | July 11, 2008 at 01:46 AM
I love meatballs... and cranberries! Never tried them together though... But, maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll be able to buy cranberries in December again. Wow, 2 years in a row would really be something - after a 10 year drought!
Posted by: katie | July 11, 2008 at 04:31 AM
What a vibrant photo! I love the idea of cranberry on turkey meatballs - genius!
Posted by: Katie B. | July 11, 2008 at 08:43 AM
Yes you are mad for meatballs, but so am I! And the use of cranberry as a sauce brilliant with the turkey. Thanksgiving in July.
Posted by: Callipygia | July 11, 2008 at 12:11 PM
I love the photo: small balls and bigger balls and the great red. And I love oregano in any format.
Posted by: Simona | July 11, 2008 at 03:22 PM
You know, normally I love fruit sauces with meat but I'm having a strange reaction to the idea of the cranberry sauce with the meatballs. My reaction is actually worrying me since I would have reacted enthusiastically before. I am wondering if the influence of a fruit-sauce-on-meat-hating Frenchman in my life has influenced me too! Now I'm sad.
Posted by: Nerissa | July 12, 2008 at 09:15 PM
Made these last night, they were sooo good definitly will make them again and again.
Posted by: Marilyn | November 15, 2008 at 01:38 PM
very delicions,very beautiful.
Posted by: nisanur23 | March 12, 2009 at 03:12 PM
These meatballs look very delicious.
Posted by: vijy | November 23, 2009 at 03:08 AM
I like these turkey meatballs a lot.
Posted by: rahul | December 01, 2009 at 06:19 AM
I had my very first Thanksgiving this year, way over on the other side of the world! My boyfriend is stiratng to miss his American holidays now that he lives in Australia, so we gathered a bunch of people together to do Thanksgiving properly. His parents sent him their "family recipes" and we cooked the turkey in the BBQ! Your photos are lovely.
Posted by: Fabrice | July 03, 2012 at 03:16 PM