Herbed chicken and spinach meatballs
Makes: 4 to 6 servings
1 pound spinach, washed
1 ½ pounds ground chicken
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Pinch of ground cayenne
Pinch of ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 serrano chile, with seeds, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup soft fresh breadcrumbs, from about 4 slices of crustless sandwich bread
½ cup heavy cream, half-and-half or milk
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
Lime or lemon wedges, for serving
1. Blanch the spinach: Plunge leaves a handful at a time into a pot of boiling water. Leave just long enough to wilt, about 30 seconds, then drain in a colander and cool under running water. Remove and squeeze wilted leaves into a ball. Using a large knife, roughly chop spinach on a cutting board — you should have about 2 cups. Squeeze into a ball again to remove excess water. (This may be done several hours or up to a day in advance and refrigerated.)
2. In a large bowl, put chicken, salt, pepper, lemon zest, cayenne, nutmeg, fennel seeds, cinnamon, spinach, cilantro, chile, egg, breadcrumbs and cream. Knead everything together, mixing well. Leave to absorb seasoning for 15 minutes or overnight.
3. Test for seasoning: Take a small amount and flatten into a thin patty. Quickly cook in a small skillet, about 1 minute per side. Taste, then adjust the mixture’s seasoning if necessary.
4. Using an ice cream scoop or spoon, form 24 rough balls and place on a baking sheet. (The mixture will be soft.) Lightly sprinkle the balls with a very small amount of flour.
5. Set a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to a depth of ¼ inch. When oil is wavy, use a spoon to help slip balls into skillet. Gently fry the balls without crowding. Adjust heat as necessary (high heat will make them tough.) Cook for about 4 minutes per side; they should be golden brown, not too dark. Serve with lime or lemon wedges.