Meatball Salad

 Meatballs

flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese; grated 
1 tbsp kosher salt

1 lb ground veal

1 lb ground pork
2 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups warm water

2 eggs; beaten
peanut oil

Yields about 40 meatballs

Sauce

2 anchovy filets

2 oz tomato paste

1 shallot; chopped 
3 cloves garlic; minced

1 large cans of Italian peeled tomatoes

single serving bottle red wine

flat leaf parsley; chopped
fresh basil; chopped

salt
pepper

Dressing

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 cup olive oil

red onion; 4-6 half-moon slices

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; grated

1/4 cup of above sauce

Salad

romaine lettuce

celery, half-moon slices

compari tomato wedges

red onion; half-moon slices

olives

Parmesan cheese; grated

For meatballs:

Combine parsley, breadcrumbs, Parm salt in a food processor and set aside.

 

Break apart meat with your hands into a large mixing bowl. Add water; wait 30 seconds; add eggs and breadcrumb mixture, 

Using forks, gently combine. Be careful; over-handling the meat results in dense meatballs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Hand form 33-36 2" balls. 

Pour enough peanut oil to cover the bottom of a dutch oven. Brown 11-12 balls on all sides on medium heat in batches 3-5. About 10 minutes per patch. Don't over crowd. Set aside and let balls drain. Freeze the rest. 

For sauce:

Combine parsley, basil and tomatoes in a food processor until sauce is desired consistency. 

 
In the now well-seasoned dutch oven (if needed add fresh oil), add tomato paste and sauté shallot until soft and translucent, 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and anchovies, mashing the filets and sauté for another minute. Add wine; increase heat; reduce and scrape up bits until most wine has evaporated. Reduce heat to lowest setting; add tomatoes, parsley and basil; add balls back; salt and pepper to taste.