Monday, April 4, 2011

Buffalo Turkey Meatball and Chicken Sausage Sandwiches

I have a coworker who is kosher-light, meaning he doesn't eat pork or shellfish. I also have a best friend who is vegetarian-light meaning that she only eats poultry and seafood. When I load up a crock pot full of meatballs in their presence, I want them to be able to enjoy the contents but I also want the other pork and beef loving people around to love what they are getting too. This presents a conundrum. This means making a meatball that is so flavorful and a sauce that is so rich and delicious that people won't be asking "Where's the beef?" Now I've ventured into the non-wing Buffalo Sauce department before to great success. Why shouldn't this work in the meatball sandwich arena? Let me tell you that it does. It is a sensation. Spicy but not overpowering, these sandwiches are absolute perfection. They key is that they are small so you can eat two. I loaded them up with a simple blue cheese sauce. mark generally doesn't like to eat leftovers, but even he was gobbling these up for lunch the next day, and the next day. I think this is the-big-game watching food at its best. Buffalo Turkey Meatball and Chicken Sausage Sandwiches
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey meat
1 egg
2 spring onions
3 garlic cloves
red pepper flakes
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
salt and pepper
1. To make the meatballs, combine ground turkey, egg, chopped garlic and spring onions, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes in a bowl. Use your hands to make sure the mixture is well combined. 2. Make tablespoon-sized meatballs (which are on the small side) and drop them onto a foil-lined and non-stick sprayed baking sheet. 3. To make the buffalo sauce, combine tomato paste with buffalo sauce until smooth. 4. Use a brush to basically paint a layer of sauce onto the meatballs. If you don't have a brush, you can use a spoon. 5. Bake the turkey meatballs in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10 minutes until browned. They won't be cooked through, just caramelized for more flavor. 7. Slice the chicken sausage into small, bite-size pieces. 8. Combine tomato sauce with the hot sauce mixture and put into a crock pot. If the mixture is very thick, you can thin it out with some beer or water. Add the meatballs and chicken sausages and cook on low heat for 4 hours until the sausages are cooked and all the flavors have melded. (If you are more pressed for time, you can saute the sausages first so that they cook faster in the sauce.) Serve the meatballs and sausages on soft rolls with blue cheese sauce (1/2 cup plain yogurt mixed with 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, a small squeeze lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper) and celery sticks for full effect.

4 comments:

  1. Very into this. Perfect for my no mammal Lent.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Emily, this looks amazing and I am definitely replicating soon!! <3 Wage

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chickens have feelings too, Kelaine :)

    I hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. thanks for posting this chica!!! They were delish and I can't wait to attempt to replicate :)

    ReplyDelete