Turkey and Pistachio Meatballs in Creamy Chèvre Sauce
Adding panache to everyday ground turkey is a bit of a challenge. Here, pistachios, orange zest, and a creamy chèvre sauce step up to the plate and bring the balls home on the first run. Serve the sausage balls with the sauce for dipping as hors d’oeuvres with cocktails. Or, cook up spaghettini, set the sausage balls on top, and nap with the sauce. The chèvre sauce can also be used to blanket sautéed chicken breasts, or to drizzle, cooled, over fresh pear slices for dessert, accompanied with a crisp, not-too-dry Gewürztraminer or Riesling.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 as a main course, or 6 to 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients
Sausage
Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
To make the sausage, place all the ingredients in a medium bowl, and knead with your hands until thoroughly blended. Form the mixture into meatballs the size of a cherry tomato for appetizers or 1 inch in diameter for a main course with pasta. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to overnight.
Step 2
To make the sauce, whisk together the cheese, oil, cream, and basil in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
Step 3
Combine 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat until the butter melts. Add as many meatballs as will fi t without crowding and sauté on medium to medium-low heat, turning 3 or 4 times, until brown all around and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes for small balls, 12 minutes for large balls. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. If necessary, continue with another round, adding more butter and oil to the pan if needed.
Step 4
When all the meatballs have been browned, add the cheese mixture to the pan and gently whisk over low heat until smooth and runny, about 1 minute.
Step 5
If serving as hors d’oeuvres, arrange the meatballs on a platter and coat them with some of the sauce. Serve warm, with the remaining sauce on the side for dipping.
Step 6
If serving with pasta, add the meatballs back to the pan with the sauce and turn to coat all around. Spread over cooked pasta and toss gently to mix.
