Akhtar Nawab's Pork Meatballs with Yogurt Dressing

Five weeks and counting. Five weeks and something like two days, I think. Oh, who am I kidding, like I don't know down to the minute. To be precise, 37 days. 37 days as of tomorrow. 37 days and one more evening, I guess, if I'm going to be totally exact. Is what I've got left in New York, of course.

I've been doing this thing which is totally maddening and kind of makes me want to smack myself gently in the face to snap out of it, but I can't seem to help it, this thing where I'll be somewhere, not even somewhere special, maybe just on the corner of 7th Avenue and 28th Street, which is sort of Nowheresville compared to other glimmering parts of this city, but who cares, I happen to love it. Anyway. The light will fall just so on that random little corner while the strangest accumulation of beautiful creatures will emerge from the subway moving like jungle cats and some cab driver will be screaming epithets from three lanes away while leaning on his horn and the cars will be moving along gracefully in this perfect symphony and a homeless dude will smile at me sweetly and I'll see the Rafiqi's cart guy pulling into his regular space and the wind will whip through my hair and suddenly I'll just lose my breath, it'll just get caught in my throat and my heart will stop and I'll find myself thinking This is it, this is the last time I'll ever be on the corner of 7th Avenue and 28th Street when the light falls just so with that crazy cabbie yelling over the din and the Rafiqi's guy setting up his cart, The Very Last Time, OMG, I must be crazy if I think I can leave, how on earth can I ever leave? Help.

And because I'm sentimental and in love with my city, the kind of love that I don't think will ever die, this happens to me on almost every street corner, at almost every moment. Don't get me started on when I see my friends. Let's just say I'm walking around with a perpetually clenched heart these days.

Which is all sort of ridiculous, of course. First of all, my reason for leaving is the kind of thing that still has me waking up with a disbelieving grin on my face most mornings. And second of all, New York is not exactly going anywhere. As most kind people tell me these days, I can always come back. I can always come back. I can always come back. Thirdly, while New York is without a doubt the Greatest City in the World, fully deserving of every tear I shed for its wondrous, sparkling, incredible self, I think I tend towards the slightly hysterical when it comes to saying goodbye, no matter where I am, let's be honest.

Anyway.

One of the loveliest things to happen in these last few weeks was finally seeing what my friends Francis and Ganda were like in real life. Which just makes me laugh, really, since I can still remember those Stone Age days when I thought that people who made friends online were just totally strange and definitely a little suspect. And now I'm the kind of person who has dinner with her friends from the Internet, and it's practically like we've known each other for years. Which we have! Sort of. You know what I mean.

Anyway.

Francis made his famous koshary, Ganda brought positively addictive French Mint Bars from Li-Lac, so good they inspired a surprise visit from my strange disappearing sweet tooth (let me tell you about that unnerving phenomenon another time), and I made Akhtar Nawab's pork meatballs, finally, after hoarding the recipe carefully for two years.

Don't wait that long, is all I can tell you. These meatballs are wonderful. Even better, they come with two little sauces that catapult the meatballs from Very Tasty into Totally Delicious. Two sauces may seem like overkill to you (well, they did to me in any case), but I say think of them as a reason to pull out those adorable sauce dishes you might have been given as a wedding present, or the little bowls you bought at a flea market in Paris years ago and never seem to use.

The meatballs are flavored with everything from ground coriander to minced oregano. Interestingly, instead of mixing soaked bread into the raw meat in clumps, Akhtar has you sweat an onion until it's soft and translucent, then purée that onion with milk-soaked bread into a fragrant paste and mix that into the raw meat. Clever! The meat is shaped into balls and then fried in butter and oil until browned on all sides (mine went from rounds to triangularish domes in the pan, but no matter, they still tasted good). They're savory and herbal and crunchy and deeply wonderful.

The sauces are meant to be drizzled and dripped on the meatballs - first the yogurt sauce, which is so thick it can only be dolloped, and then the mint sauce, which is so good I could have sat down on the floor with a spoon and made it my dinner. (I'm having this weirdly intense thing with vinegar lately. I can't get enough of it. Even pickles don't seem to cut it. Maybe it's related to my disappearing sweet tooth? I don't know, I don't even care. I just want more vinegar, please. Straight from the bottle is fine, too.) If you're serving these as an appetizer, I think it'd be cute to arrange the meatballs on a platter, each stuck with a little toothpick, then drizzled and dolloped in advance by you before your guests set themselves upon the toothpicked meatballs like hungry Visigoths. If you're serving these as part of a meal, then pass the sauces in their bowls and let your guests dress their meatballs as they wish.

(Look at these sweethearts, would you?)

Pork Meatballs with Yogurt Dressing
Yields 50 1-inch meatballs (serves about 12 as an hors d’oeuvre)

For yogurt dressing
1 cup high-fat Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For mint dressing
1/2 cup finely sliced mint leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For meatballs
1 cup crustless country bread, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
Half a large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
2 1/2 pounds ground pork, chilled
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
4 tablespoons butter

1. For yogurt dressing, combine yogurt, cumin, and sugar. Slowly whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate.

2. For mint dressing, combine mint, shallot and vinegar in small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and refrigerate.

3. For meatballs, combine bread and milk in a bowl, and stir until bread has absorbed milk.

4. Combine 1 tablespoon of oil and onion in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sizzling, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook until onion is softened but not colored. Transfer to food processor, add bread mixture and purée.

5. Combine coriander, cumin, fennel and hot red-pepper flakes in small skillet over medium heat and stir until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and grind to a powder in a spice grinder.

6. Mix meat, the bread mixture, spices and salt in a large stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add parsley and oregano, and mix again. With wet hands, roll into 1-inch balls.

7. Place large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter has melted, reduce heat slightly and begin adding meatballs, allowing them to brown on the bottom, then turning gently to continue browning on all sides. Work in batches, transferring meatballs to a platter when they are cooked. To serve, drizzle with yogurt dressing and sprinkle with mint dressing.

Comments

[Rachel]

these sound amazing.. do you think ground beer or turkey or a combo could be substituted?

[Rachel]

OoopS! haha, ground BEEF or turkey... and I'm sure a beer would be great with these ;)

[Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition]

These meatballs sound so delish! I stumbled across your blog and I'm so glad I did; it's fabulous!

[Dana McCauley]

Sounds super yummy - fennel seeds seem to make meatballs of all kind taste good!

Instead of rolling meatballs, I like to use a scoop:

http://danamccauley.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/two-minute-meatballs/

[isabel]

i left new york two years ago and know exactly how you feel--at least you'll miss the winter blues. 7th avenue is particularly depressing in early march, when all you want is spring and it just won't come.

[Lys]

It's a great time to leave when you're 30. It's cusp you really shouldn't stand still on...make beautiful things that matter, find give and receive love...and save yourself a little stash of money, sister, you know, for the rainy day that comes round every seven years.

[Honeybee]

I can so relate to how you're feeling! Once you know you're going, it makes you sad because there is so much you're leaving behind. Yet, if you were told now that you couldn't leave after all, it would make you really sad, too, wouldn't it? I felt that way when I went to England (and please - Bern - Manchester is not even a distance). It's part of the beauty of it all, I guess.

[maggie]

So well said...reminds me a bit of when I was leaving college and eventually a friend was like, "No, Maggie, we don't want to hear about how this might be our last diet coke in the student center EVER. Everything is the last something."

New York will be here waiting.

[Lisa-Marie]

Thank you Luisa! I now know what to do with the pork we have! You are a legend!

[Adrienne]

Oh, Maggie, my friends and I did the SAME thing. This is our last first day of second semester! This is our last April Fool's Day! It's silly, but it's comforting. And Luisa, I am a little concerned about your sweet tooth, sure, but just think of how fun it will be to tell people you have a vinegar tooth!

[noelle {simmer down!}]

Hmm... vinegar cravings... you're not expecting, are you? ;)

Actually, I'm totally with you on that, I've always craved sour over sweet, and am always adding vinegar to things. I've made lamb meatballs with yogurt sauce before, but that mint sauce sounds insanely good. Thanks for giving me an idea of how to use up the rest of my mint plant before it gets claimed by Jack Frost!

[Lisa (dinner party)]

Wow, Francis is really good looking. And so are those meatballs!

And yes, 7th Avenue and 28th Street will always be here for you. There may only be condos there, but it will be there. That's the nice thing about New York.

[Jennifer]

I’m bookmarking this recipe for some Thanksgiving fun. I’m months away from a major move as well and am already mindful of these sorts of moments. I’m excited for the change, but also sentimental about this city I’ve lived in for 14 years. I just don’t think I’ll feel the same vibes once I’m a visitor instead of a resident...I suppose all we may do is embrace it all and see what happens in the next chapter.

[jill]

Can't wait to try these.
As you savor every minute in NY, remember, home is a feeling more than a place.

[TheKitchenWitch]

These are a must-try! How fun that you got to meet some online buddies in the flesh!

My sweet tooth disappeared after Miss D. was born (7 years ago) and has yet to return. It IS odd, isn't it? I wonder, "where did it go? And why do I now need my own salt lick installed in my home?"

[Frenchie]

Luisa, these sound delicious and I just love meatballs. I am a native New Yorker, but right now I have been moving around all over the place, I can really relate to the feeling you have. Those out of body moments, where you actually realize where are you and you wonder how in the world you ever set foot anywhere else. Then real life whisks you back in and the fleeting moment is gone. It's bittersweet isn't it?

[Andrea]

Tending toward the hysterical in relation to goodbyes...well, who wouldn't, really? I think that when you're feeling on that edge, you're probably doing something right. That's when the best growth happens. Good for you for leaping!

[Jill Anderson]

Oh, these sound fabulous!! I can't wait to try them out. Did I miss a posting? Where are you moving to?? Best to you....we'll go with you.

[Sarah]

can we have a coffee sometime when you re in berlin?
i think we would get along famously.

[Luisa]

Rachel - I don't see why not!

Honeybee - if I couldn't leave?? I'd be gutted. There's so much awaiting me. :)

Frenchie - so bittersweet, and kind of thrilling, too.

Andrea - you're so right!!

Jill - have a look at this post :) http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2009/10/leap-and-a-net-will-appear.html

Sarah - yes, please!

[Jill Anderson]

Wow! Luisa - I missed a BIG posting. And, what a heartfelt, tear-jerker it is. I am thrilled for you....and am excited to see what's next for you (& new hubby to boot). Kudos to you for making the big move. We'll be there with you.

[Jenny]

New York is wonderful, but just think -- you will be much closer to Florence! I'd take Florence to New York anyday....
What do you think about turkey in place of pork for meatballs?

[Luisa]

Jill - huh? What's this about a new husband?

Jenny - don't see why not. Try it and let me know!

[Jill Anderson]

Me again -- am losing my mind? At least I'm pretty sure that you got engaged recently? Perhaps, I follow to many blogs.

[Rose-Anne]

You captured perfectly the essence of what it feels like to leave a city you love. I felt the same way when I left Chicago this year. Now that I'm gone, I have these moments when I just feel this intense longing to be back there again. But there's no going back, only forward. When I return for a visit, I'm totally going to live it up and be the tourist that I could never be while in graduate school and living in Chicago!

[small kitch cara]

We're on a meatball rampage! Served them with tomato sauce at a party last weekend, ate them last night at Kefi (yum), and are preparing an Asian version w/ dipping sauce for Saturday night. Great minds?

[Francesca]

Those meatballs look sensational! As does the koshary, which I'd never heard of before but can't wait to make.
I remember when I moved from London to Sydney when I was 14, I did the same thing, only with all the angst of a teenager - 'this is the last time I will catch this bus, this is the last time I will eat a Cornish pasty from this bakery...' But new and exciting things were waiting at the other end and the longing for London is a good thing because it means going back is always such a great experience.

[june2]

This might be helpful info for those of us who crave vinegar/salt:

http://herbalmedicine.tribe.net/thread/9f730920-f23a-49bf-b260-108060815524

[emiglia]

Don't worry about New York... it's always there to come back to. And as a native who's left and come back a thousand times, I have to say: the best part is coming home and remembering what you missed.

I'm so excited for you and your new life!!!

[BirminghamCatering]

Thanks for sharing your recipe..

[tara]

The fact that these inspire Visgothian appetites pretty much sealed the deal. Must make.

So glad that you're being sent off with the fanfare and celebration you deserve. Thanks for sharing.

[Ganda]

GAH! Luisa, Luisa, those meatballs were amazing. I should know, I ate them three days in a row. I even took the leftovers with me all the way to L.A. and ate them at my parents' house.

Having left New York (albeit only for six months), I feel like I know what you're going through. New York will always have room in her bosom for you. I can't wait to read about your adventures in Berlin.

Everything changes and nothing changes here. But GAH! wish we had gotten together sooner. Still, how nice to have an international friend -- makes me feel very jet set.

[Amanda]

I'm a newcomer to your blog, but I just had to say, I've also done the whole "this is the last time I'll..." more than once. And of course, when I travel back to those places now, I have to cram a visit to all my "favorite" places.

The meatballs look amazing!

[Kristine in Santa Barbara]

Oh my. I left NY when I was 30. And publishing. And the building I worked in for 5 years at West 26th and 6th. I know that no-man's land west to the river above 14th so well. Back when Balducci's was still the main foodie emporium.

I go back. It's still a great city. It's still romantic. I love to visit my friends there. My kids go now too.

You're making the right choice. You will always have NY AND you'll have the romance of Europe and the love of your family.

The meatballs are sitting on the counter, waiting to be cooked when everyone gets home. I'll let you know how they turn out. Kristine

[Anna]

Thanks for the great recipe. Being Italian I always make meatballs the same old way (but they're oh so good). I usually use a equal ratio of pork and veal in my meatballs...never beef I was taught that it's sacrilege. LOL

[Caitlin]

I love just about any meatball and forgot how much I like the lamb version. Thanks for the reminder to bring them back! And even better with 2 sauces - definitely a bonus in my book!

[Andrea Wilson]

What a great recipe, very Middle Eastern! check out Poetry of Food, poetryoffood.com, it is a new food magazine and has lots of Middle Eastern recipes that I have tried. Fun stories and recipes, and it's free!! novel idea:)

Andrea

[Kristine in Santa Barbara]

We loved this. Just loved it. I used one pound of ground turkey. Added whole spices to onions in the pan after they were lightly sauteed (no dry roasting, no grinding), mixed in the bread crumbs and then dumped that mixture in with the turkey and mixed quickly by hand. I made little 3" patties. They were faster to form and easier to cook as I got them all in one large cast iron pan. Spooned and drizzled the sauces over the top when they were done. The meatballs and dipping would be great for party food but this was getting dinner on the table with less fuss and serving it out one pan.

Really GREAT flavors, especially for anything made with ground turkey. Served it with quinoa pilaf. Yum, yum.