Chicken Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

Yield: 8 servings

For the Chicken Meatballs:

• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs (6 slices wheat bread blitzed in the food processor)
• 2 1/2 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, 2” dice
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 2 tbsp Saica Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning
• 2 tbsp Kozlik’s Dijon Classique

For the Cremini Gravy:

• 3 tbsp Saica Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 shallots, peeled, sliced
• 8 oz (1 1/2 cups) mushrooms, small dice
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tbsp Entube Harissa Paste
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, to taste
• Jacobsen Salt Co. Tellicherry Black Peppercorns, fresh ground, to taste

For the Yukon Gold Purée:

• 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 - 1 cup half-and-half
• Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt

To make the meatballs, place half of the diced chicken in a food processor. Process until the chicken meat is broken down to a ground meat consistency. Remove the first half of the chicken and repeat with the second half.

Place the ground chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the fresh bread crumbs, feta, Saica Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust and Kozlik’s Dijon. Using the paddle attachment, mix over medium high until the meat mixture holds together.

Pull off a small portion of the meatball mixture and cook in a skillet. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Portion the meat mixture into about 24 (2 oz) meatballs. Place on a sheet pan. Transfer to the refrigerator to firm up.

Build a fire about 2 logs high in the center of your Clementi Clementino Wood Fired Oven. When the wood has broken down into coals, slide the fire off to the side of the oven, trapping it against the side wall with the burn grate. Add more thin splits of cooking wood to maintain at 500ºF temperature reading on the thermometer on the opposite side from the fire. Sweep any ash and debris off of the cooking surface.

Place the meatballs in a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet. Place the skillet on the deck of the oven. Let cook uncovered until browned on all sides, turn the meatballs as needed. When the meatballs are browned, place a lid on the skillet and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 160ºF.

Remove the skillet from the grill and remove the meatballs from the skillet. Place in a foil pan and cover with foil.

You might also enjoy: Swedish Meatballs

Place the Saica EVOO and butter in the skillet. When the butter has melted, add the shallot and mushrooms and stir with a wooden spoon. Place the skillet on the deck of the oven. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and have released moisture. Add the Harissa paste and flour. Stir to mix well. Return to the oven. Let cook for about 30 seconds. Add the vegetable stock and Worcestershire. Stir and return to the oven. Let the gravy cook until thickened.

Remove the skillet from the oven and add the heavy cream. Stir to incorporate. Add the chicken meatballs to the mushroom gravy. Stir to coat the meatballs. Return the skillet to the grill to warm the meatballs.

To make the Yukon Gold Purée, cook the peeled Yukon Gold potatoes in simmering water until tender and cooked through. Mash the potatoes with a potato ricer, or hand masher. Mix in remaining ingredients. Whisk until smooth.

Serve the Chicken Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy over the Yukon Gold Purée.