Meatballs with Polenta, Roasted Cauliflower and Roasted Pear

Info

Course:
Main Course
Total Time:
Under 1 Hour
Skill Level:
Moderate
Cost:
Moderate

Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 10, Quickfire Challenge Winner

Ingredients

Meatballs

½ lb ground beef
¼ lb ground lamb
¼ lb ground pork (high fat %)
1 cup diced white bread
½ cup heavy cream
1 ea. large egg
salt
pepper
madeira
fennel pollen
cinnamon

Tomato Sauce

1 ea. Medium onion, brunoise
1 ea. Carrot, brunoise
2 ea. Celery stalk, brunoise
2 ea. Garlic cloves, minced
1 can tomato puree
Madeira
1 sprig marjoram
1 sprig basil
1 sprig thyme
2 ea. Bay leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup veal glace
1 cup chicken stock

Soft Polenta

2 cup Milk
½ cup Polenta
1/8 lb Butter
2 Tbsp. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. grated pecorino
lemon zest
lemon juice
salt
pepper

Cauliflower

½ Head cauliflower, small florets
1 sprig rosemary
½ tsp. chile flake
salt
pepper
lemon zest
lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil

Honey Glazed Pears

2 ea. Bartlett pears, fully ripe
1 cup & 1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. Amaretto
1 cup heavy cream
1 leaf basil
salt
grapefruit zest

Directions

For the Meatballs:

Mix together very well. Shape into balls and drop into deep fryer.

Fry until deep brown. Reserve.

For the Tomato Sauce:

Cook vegetable soffrito. Deglaze with madeira, add tomato, herbs and season.

Add stock and glace. Re-season. Add meatballs and simmer, covered for 45 minutes. Top meatballs with grated pecorino.

For the Soft Polenta:

Boil milk, add polenta and cook until tender. Add all other ingredients.

For the Cauliflower:

Roast cauliflower until deep golden brown. Season with rosemary, chile, lemon, salt and pepper.

For the Honey Glazed Pears:

Caramelize honey until deep golden brown. Add amaretto and cook for 15 seconds. Add pears, cut off heat and pour into a container small enough to hold pears in a single layer with honey submerging them. Cool to just warm. Whip cream with sugar and tablespoon honey. Add chifonade basil, salt, and grapefruit zest. Spoon over pears before serving. Whip cream until thick, but not set.