Meatball Subs

My very last post told the story of two great ladies of food, Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, of Canal House fame.  While I often blog original recipes, it's been fun so far being part of the food blogger group that's cooking a 50 Women Game-Changers recipe each week.  So I kind of hate to throw in something pedestrian like a meat ball sub.  Except for one thing:  these are great meatball subs.

If you make the Meatballs with Mint and Parsley, you'll have 24 meatballs. (You could buy good-quality frozen or deli meatballs, too.)  Unless it's  you and a party, thatsalotsameatballs.  We loved them with the garlicky, red hot broccolini, but I then froze the rest.  Only to pull them out, throw them in marinara, and broil them on top of sauced hard rolls with provolone for Super Bowl.  Try it! 
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meatball subs  serves 4

• 12 or more cooked meatballs, 2 oz ea
• 2qt pot of marinara (recipe below)
• 2 long, hard rolls (each person gets half)
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 pieces provolone

 
marinara sauce

     

2T olive oil or butter

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup onion, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

1T carrot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

28 oz can chopped Italian tomatoes (I like Cento)

1/2 t each dried basil and oregano

2T fresh parsley, minced

1" piece Parmesan or a small Parmesan rind

Pinch each of kosher salt and sugar

Pinch of ground cayenne

In a two quart sauce pan, heat the oil or butter with the black pepper over medium heat and add the onion, celery, and carrot.  Saute, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic during last minute or so.  Stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley and Parmesan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook 15 minutes, stirring regularly.  Taste and season with salt, sugar, and cayenne.

Add  12 fully-cooked meatballs and heat through 10 minutes or so, stirring gently.

making the subs-------------
                              
Turn oven on to broil.  Slit open four hard rolls and place on rimmed baking sheet.  Slide baking sheet under broiler about 4" from heat, and broil until lightly toasted.  Remove baking sheet from oven and spoon a bit of the marinara on both sides of each roll.  Add meatballs to the right side of each roll, sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper,  and top with cheese.  Slide baking sheet back under broiler for about 2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden.   Let cool a minute and cut subs in 1/2.   Serve with salad.

sub salad
8 cups mixed greens
8 very thin slices red onion
1/2 clove garlic, smashed and minced very finely
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 large yellow or orange pepper, cut into strips
8 baby carrots, sliced thinly
1/2 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
2T finely minced genoa salami or sopressata (dry Italian sausage), optional
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/2 fresh lemon
1-2T good quality red-wine vinegar 
2-4T extra virgin olive oil
4T freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large, deep bowl, mix greens, vegetables, olives, and hard salami, if using.  Squeeze half lemon over the greens and dust with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Toss well.  Shake 1T of the red wine vinegar over all and toss.  Drizzle with 2T of the olive oil and toss well.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  (More salt?  Add a bit and try again.  Too oily?  Add a bit more vinegar and taste. Etc.)  Top with the Parmesan cheese and toss again before serving.  

wine
I liked a zippy (the opposite of jammy) California Zinfandel with the subs.  A baseline Chianti would also drink well.  If company's coming, maybe a reserve Chianti, which for just a few dollars more is quite a bit smoother and rounder-no rough edges.  I have to say, though, some rough edges on a wine you're drinking with sub sandwiches would be just fine.

Click here to check out Food and Wines list of bottles you can trust for under $20.  

Two-Dog Kitchen and Around the 'Hood returns:

Whatchudoin'?

Speechless.

Are you going to eat that?

 Over at the Dinner Place blog, we're making a big old pot of Pinto Beans:

Good in chili, but naked is better.

St. Paul:  Not really wintery.  Knock on wood.  No snow.  Knock on wood.
Cooked  lentil soup for a couple of friends today and drove it over to eat lunch with them.  Threw in some thin, Triscuit triangles (such good crackers) and a little goat cheese with cranberries and orange.  A tiny heart of dark chocolate and a pot of coffee for dessert.   Eat with people; it'll do you good. 

Sing a new song,
Alyce