Andrew and I went to New York last month. In the middle of Irene. Which, depending on how you look at it, was either the best possible time to go or the worst.


First, let me start by saying we were never even close to being in danger. The city handled things beautifully, people were prepared, our hotel bent over backwards to make sure we were taken care of (this included the manager making breakfast for all of the guests on the morning of the hurricane). While other areas were horribly impacted by Irene, Manhattan was basically untouched. We were safe.

It was because we were safe and the city was so prepared (i.e. shut down) that made it either the best possible time to go or the worst.
The best because we got to see a side of the city that most people never get to see – empty. I would imagine it was similar to what the Fourth of July feels like when locals leave to the Hamptons.
Except even then, tourists flock to Times Square. We were in Times Square at 8pm on a Saturday and we could stand in the middle of the street, spin around and count the number of people on one hand. It was desolate. Eerie, almost. Like a scene from Zombieland.


So, the good part was it felt like we had the city to ourselves for two days. The bad part? It felt like we had the city to ourselves for two days.


When you go to New York, you expect hustle and bustle. You expect to get yelled at by the guy in line behind you and ignored by people on the street. You also expect to have innumerable options for things to do, places to see, restaurants to visit. On the night before Irene, the only places open were Irish pubs. I’m not trying to be funny. That’s seriously all that was open. Why, I don’t know.
We ate mediocre Shepherd’s Pie at one Irish Pub and went down the street to drink at another. Everything else was closed or even boarded against the elements. It kind of sucked. It especially sucked because this was my first time to New York and, being a foodie, I had a long list of all the places I’d heard amazing things about. Cutting two days out of my eating schedule was depressing.

When the powers of social media informed me Gramercy Tavern would open with a skeleton staff on Sunday night, I almost cried. You mean I don’t have to live on a diet of fish and chips? Praise Jesus.
Turns out, it was the best meal we ate in Manhattan.


Andrew ordered the meatball. THE meatball. If you’ve been to Gramercy Tavern and have never ordered THE meatball, you’re seriously missing out. If you’ve never been to Gramercy Tavern, you need to get there. Stat.
THE meatball is a combination of beef, pork, and veal (+ other yummy goodness), stuffed with fontina, served over pureed potatoes, drizzled with a red wine reduction. It’s amazing.

Naturally, when I asked Andrew for menu requests once we got home, he was still dreaming of THAT meatball.


My first attempt wasn’t actually this one. It was a flop that made me realize I’ve never actually made meatballs. At least not meatballs that can stand on their own. I decided I should start by learning how to make a really good meatball and then try to get near Gramercy Tavern’s level of perfection.
So, this was my first attempt (and, actually, this was my second time to make this first attempt).
Serve these over your favorite starch. I’ve had them over mashed potatoes as well as angel hair pasta. Both work well, but the meatball remains the main event.


Stay tuned for future attempts including some fontina stuffing adventures. They’re coming…

Classic Meatballs

From Anne Burrell
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, 1/4-inch dice
Salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
Pinch crushed red pepper
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmigiano
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water
Preparation
Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onions generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.


In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley and bread crumbs. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt and squish some more. Add the water and do 1 final really good squish. The mixture should be quite wet. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini hamburger size patty and cooking it. The mixture should taste really good! If it doesn’t it is probably missing salt. Add more. Add more anyway.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Shape the meat into desired size. Some people like ‘em big some people like ‘em small. I prefer meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. If using right away, add them to your big pot of marinara sauce. If not using right away, they can be frozen for later use. Serve with pasta and sauce or just eat them straight out of the pot! YUM!

Last Year – Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
Two Years Ago – Watermelon For Dessert