Tomato-Braised Meatballs with Noodles and Kale

With a gluten-free guest coming over for dinner in a few weeks, I’ve decided to give a few recipes a trial run. The kicker here is that, after researching gluten-free diets and reading the lists of yes-foods and no-foods, I’ve discovered that my husband and I are about 75% gluten free! (But we’re not giving up pasta, pizza, and freshly baked bread.) Bottom line: tons of fresh vegetables, lean meats, rice products, nuts, and fruits are already on the menu in my house. So, for me, cooking for a gluten-free friend isn’t much different from regular ol’ everyday cooking.

That said, for my "consciously" gluten-free recipes, I’m choosing not to purchase any processed products that have been manufactured not to include gluten. Instead, I’m using naturally gluten-free foods throughout and making substitutions—when needed—with the same natural products.

For instance, in a meatball recipe, I would normally include breadcrumbs. Here, I omitted the bread and added finely grated Romano cheese to act as an ingredient binder, along with the egg. Result: worked wonderfully (much tastier than breadcrumbs too!). Instead of pasta, I used rice noodles as a side dish, packing them with flavor in a slowly simmered garlic and olive oil broth.

Although I mention lean meats above, there’s nothing light or lean about these meatballs. They are loaded with flavor, including smoky bacon and the aforementioned cheese. Normally I bake meatballs at a relatively high temperature, then add them to a sauce cooked separately. For this recipe, I decided to let the meatballs help make the sauce by braising them with simple store-bought stewed tomatoes. As the beef, ground pork, and bacon render their fat, the tomatoes break down into a rich, meat-flavored sauce.

Ground Beef, Pork, and Bacon Mixture

Don’t skip this step: When the meatballs and sauce are done, remove the meat from the pot, let the sauce cool until much of the fat separates, then pour off as much as you can. Most of the oil from the meats will be discarded but obviously not all. Simply stir the remaining bit into the tomatoes and return the meatballs to the pot. Warm again gently before serving.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 2/3 lb ground chuck
• 2/3 lb ground pork
• 2 thick-cut bacon slices, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, whisked
• 1 cup finely grated, loosely packed Romano cheese
• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper   
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 28-oz can good-quality stewed tomatoes, with juice   

For the Noodles and Kale

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 large garlic cloves, lightly smashed and peeled
• 1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes
• 8 oz rice noodle sticks
• 4 cups chopped kale
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Smashed Garlic

Preparation

For the Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F.
2. Combine the first 10 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl. Mix lightly with damp fingers and form into about 20 meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter).
3. Place the meatballs in a single layer on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. (May be refrigerated overnight if tightly covered. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)

Meatball Mixture

Meatballs Ready to Chill

1. Heat a Dutch oven or deep, ovenproof pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook until beginning to brown, turning a few times, 10 minutes.

Meatballs Beginning to Brown

Meatballs after Turning

1. Add the tomatoes and juice to the pot, slighty breaking up the tomatoes. Cover tightly and braise 30 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the meatballs and sauce, and braise uncovered 30 minutes longer.

Tomatoes and Juice Added to the Pot

Tomato-Braised Meatballs

1. Remove the meatballs from the pot. Let the sauce cool until much of the fat separates from the tomatoes. Carefully pour off as much fat as possible and discard.
2. Stir the meatballs back into the tomato sauce and gently rewarm before serving.

Meatballs Removed from the Pot

Fat Separated from Sauce

To serve, divide the meatballs among 5-6 plates (3-4 per serving) and spoon a little tomato sauce on top. Serve with garlicky noodles and kale (recipe follows) alongside.

For the Noodles and Kale

1. Pour the olive oil into a medium pot and add the garlic cloves and pepper flakes.
2. Bring to a slight simmer, covered. Reduce the heat to low and cook the garlic slowly until very aromatic and beginning to brown, 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and keep covered 15 minutes.

Garlic Beginning to Simmer

Garlic Simmered in Oil

1. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and remove from the heat. Immerse the noodles in the hot water and cover with a lid. Let steep 10 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water.
2. Remove the garlic cloves from the pot and gently rewarm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the kale and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the drained noodles and stir to combine well with the oil and kale. Heat until hot throughout, 2-3 minutes. Serve right away.

Kale Beginning to Cook

Noodles Added to the Garlicky Oil