Marcus Samuelsson, chef, author and restauranteur behind New York City restaurants Red Rooster Harlem and the brand new Hav & Mar in Chelsea, among others around the globe, knows good meatballs.
In fact, it was one of the first dishes he learned how to make. Samuelsson, who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, first trained in the kitchen with family.
“My grandmother taught me how to cook and the first thing she taught me was meat(balls),” Samuelsson tells USA TODAY.
And now, he’s created a meatball recipe of his own inspired by his grandmother’s recipe. It’s packed with flavor thanks to cumin and berbere (an Ethiopian spice blend of chiles, cinnamon and fenugreek, among others) and served with sweet-and-savory Brussels sprouts.
“I feel like when you cook for your holidays — when I cook for my family for for the holidays — you want to channel your family,” Samuelsson says.
The full dish, chicken meatballs and berbere honey Brussels sprouts, will be published as part of “A Taste of Welcome: A Celebration of Diverse Food and Flavors,” a limited edition cookbook that will be available to order online starting Nov. 19 (for free, while supplies last).
He describes the Brussels sprouts, dressed with berbere and honey, as “crispy beautiful, salty, sweet” with a cracker crumble that makes the dish “that much better.”
The cookbook was created in collaboration between Samuelsson, Ritz and Bon Appétit. In it, Samuelsson and other immigrant families share their stories and recipes. The recipes run the gamut from mains and sides to desserts and snacks.
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Chicken Meatballs and Berbere Honey Brussels Sprouts
Makes: 4 servings
Meatballs ingredients:
- 1 pound ground dark meat chicken
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 Ritz crackers, finely crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon berbere or smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup tomato juice from jar, or tomato sauce
Cracker crumble ingredients:
- 8 Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1 teaspoon berbere or smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Brussels sprouts ingredients:
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 1/2 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 pinch cumin
- ½ teaspoon berbere
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Meatball instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Crush the crackers into a bowl, and whisk with heavy cream and half of the olive oil. Then add the egg, Parmesan cheese, and spices; whisk well. Once blended, add in the ground chicken and blend well.
- Roll the mixture into golf-ball-size meatballs and place on a tray (approximately 8 meatballs). Put in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
- Then, sear the meatballs in a nonstick, ovenproof pan in remaining ¼ cup of oil for 4 minutes until evenly browned. Add in the tomato juice, then put the pan in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Cracker crumble instructions:
- Combine all crumble ingredients in a bowl and toss until blended.
Brussels sprouts instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any loose outer leaves; cut into halves.
- Toss Brussels sprouts with the remainder of the ingredients.
- Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the sprouts are well caramelized.
Plating instructions:
Remove from the oven and plate, sprinkling the cracker crumble on top. Serve with meatballs.
