Fennel Pork Meatballs

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Yield

Yield: 40 meatballs Servings

Ingredients

4 Tbsp olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped (or substitute 2-3 scallions)
½ fennel bulb, finely chopped
2 pounds ground pork
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp ground fennel seed
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Remove from the heat to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add the pork, eggs, parsley, fennel seed, salt, and pepper. Once the sauteed onions and fennel have cooled slightly, add them to the mixing bowl and use your hands to mix all ingredients together.
Shape the pork mixture into small meatballs, approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter. Make all the meatballs and place on parchment-lined baking tray or large plate.
Wipe your previously used large sauté pan clean, then add 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan over medium heat. Place the first batch of meatballs in the pan, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook the meatballs 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then rotate them, so that all sides are browned. The meatballs should cook for 10 to 12 minutes total, or until the inside is no longer pink. When the first batch is done, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate and start the next batch.
Discard any fat from the pan and add all of the meatballs back to the pan to warm through before serving.

Notes

Note from Chef Andrea: This recipe was sourced from downshiftology.com. You can choose your own adventure with how to serve these meatballs. You may choose to serve them just as they are, or you could add a sauce of your choosing. They would be tasty served over pasta with a creamy garlic sauce and topped off with fresh basil or chopped fennel fronds. You could also serve them with spiralized zucchini noodles and marinara sauce. The sky’s the limit, so get creative!

Photo from downshiftology.com

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