Chicken Tsukune (AKA Meatballs)

One of my favorite ways to eat is tapas style, which means that I get to try a million different things until I feel like my stomach is going to burst. But the great thing about JAPANESE style tapas is that mostly everything is fairly light, so I never feel like I need to be rolled out like Violet Beauregarde to be squeezed later in the juicer.

This is where Japanese Izakaya comes to play. An Izakaya is a casual style pub that people frequent after work, where they can drink and eat tapas. Which is my dream. So to say that I frequent Izakayas is... definitely not a lie. I love to order Agedashi Tofu, skewers, sushi rolls, and chicken karaage the most. One of the skewers you can typically order is called Chicken Tsukune, which essential a meatball. So this recipe is a great option for those who are craving meatloaf but want something healthier and more elevated.

My friends Kristy, Angela and I gathered at their apartment two weeks ago to tackle these great balls of meat, and had a great time doing so. The hardest thing about this recipe is gathering the ingredients, but after that, it's easy peasy lemon squeezy. Surprise, SURPRISE - the recipe is from Bon Appétit.

What I loved about this night is that we didn't have to do a whole lot, we got to sit and relax and enjoy each others company. And you can do it too!

Ingredients:

Sauce:
2/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (I didn't have this, so I used 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and two pinches of sugar)
2 tablespoons rice cooking wine
2 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Meatballs and Assembly

2 heads of broccoli
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 lb ground chicken
1 large egg, beaten to blend
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 2 inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grater
1/3 cup panko
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooked rice for serving

Directions:

Sauce

1. Mix ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, wine, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and pepper in a small saucepan. Measure out 1/4 cup mixture into a small bowl; set aside for glazing meatballs later. Bring remaining mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if needed, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to a medium bowl.

Meatballs & Assembly

1. Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Trim broccoli stems and remove from crown. Peel off tough outer skin; slice crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Cut florets into 2 inch pieces.

2. Toss on prepared baking sheet with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of red pepper flakes. Push to the edges of baking sheet to create a space for meatballs. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

3. Mix chicken, egg, scallions, garlic, ginger, panko, sesame oil, pepper, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup water in a medium bowl. Using wet hands, form into twelve 1 1/2 inch diameter meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet; brush with some of the reserved glazing mixture.

4. Bake until meatballs are cooked through, 14-18 minutes. Remove from oven; heat broiler. Brush meatballs with remaining glazing mixture; broil until broccoli is charred and meatballs are browned in spots, about 5 minutes.

5. Spoon meatballs and broccoli over rice in bowl. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.