Tangy skillet meatballs are perfect for weeknights
Meatballs are savory, versatile and easy, but they are definitely not what comes to mind when I think of “seasonal cooking.”
Maybe it is their long-term relationship with marinara sauce and spaghetti. Hearty and crowd-pleasing, yes. Buoyant and summery, not so much.
But these meatballs turn everything on its head.
With fresh basil, ground cumin and ginger, they are heady and complex. But it is the quick pan sauce that really sets them apart. The combination of ripe peaches and plenty of lime juice gives them a tangy brightness that is refreshing.
You can make the meatballs with any kind of ground meat. Even vegan meat will work quitewell. Pork, with its brawny, rich flavor, ismy favorite, with dark meat turkey or chicken as close runners-up.
Really, it is the panful of peach drippings thatmakes this dish shine. So, it isworth buying the fruit ahead of time, and letting it soften and sweeten for a few days. Or, if you already have a surfeit of bruised, overripe fruit leaking nectar all over your counter, this is the recipe for you.
Just cut out any obviously browned spots before throwing the rest of the peach flesh into the skillet, where it will dissolve amid a bath of wine and the aromatic drippings fromthe meatballs to create the sauce.
As a rule, I don’t peel peaches because the fuzz doesn’t bother me. Fuzz haters can peel as they like. A sharp paring knife generally gets the job done more quickly and efficiently than a vegetable peeler. (No need to blanch them here.) Or substitute fuzz-free nectarines, which are arguably superior to peaches anyway.
You can also substitute diced plums, holding back slightly on the lime juice to make up for their tannic, puckery skins.
Then, as the cold sets in and fresh stone fruit disappears, you will still be able to throwthis together using frozen peaches. Make sure to thawand drain them before dicing and adding to the pan.
Of course, using frozen peaches does mean these meatballswould no longer be considered strictly seasonal fare. But no one will be sad to gobble them up when winter eventually arrives.