This is a totally accidental dish influenced by Ottolenghi's recipe for Chicken with miso and ginger (Ottolenghi's Simple, Ten Speed Press).
I was looking to throw dinner together quickly and was thinking that something Persian-ish with ground chicken and chickpeas would hit the spot; however, I also had Simple on the counter and started leafing through it. The ground chicken was already defrosted and the can of chickpeas on the counter. A few zucchini were either going to be used or thrown away and it has been too cold to walk over to the compost pile. Such is the beginning of a really good, quick chicken meatball dish, which with the addition of steamed brown rice, is a delicious winter mid-week meal. This is the kind of dish you can play with and embellish as you see fit. The recipe serves 3-4.
The recipe calls for ginger. You can use fresh ginger, or ginger that has been peeled and preserved in sherry.
Choreography:
- start the brown rice
- mince the flavorings (ginger, garlic, whites of scallion, parsley)
- measure out miso (I keep miso frozen in the plastic packaging), liquid ingredients
- roughly cut up zucchini , open and drain the chickpeas
- mix the ground chicken with breadcrumbs (gluten or gluten free) and flavoring. Meatballs will be dropped directly into the sauce as they are formed
- Cook for 15 minutes, finish the rice and serve hot
Equipment:
- mixing bowls, measuring spoons/cups , mixing spoons
- large heavy frying pan or well seasoned cast iron frying pan
- whatever pot you like to make rice in
Ingredients:
- For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground chicken, mixed with
- 1/4 c bread crumbs, 1 tsp roasted sesame oil, S&P to taste, 1/2 tsp (or more) granulated garlic
- For the sauce:
- 2-3 Tbsp neutral oil
- One 2inch piece of ginger, finely minced
- two cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 3-4 scallions, mince the white parts, roughly chop the greens
- Several tablespoons of minced parsley
- a pinch of hot pepper flakes (to taste)
- zest of 2 small lemons
- juice from the two small lemons
- heaping 1/3 cup red or white miso (you can find several brands that are marked kosher)
- 1/4 cup white wine or mirin
- 3-4 Tbsp dark maple syrup
- 3-4 Tbsp soy or terriaki sauce
- 2 zucchini, cut into chunks
- 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Procedure:
- Make rice according to your favorite method (using 1 cup of your choice of brown rice)
- Mix the chicken with oil and spices. Cook a small sample amount to check the spices. Shape 1 inch balls, let rest on a plate or sheet of waxed paper
- Sauté the ginger, garlic, white parts of the scallion
- Add the miso and liquid ingredients and swirl the mixture in the pan , lower the heat to a very low simmer, add water if the sauce thickens too much
- Gently add the meatballs, cover and simmer 5 minutes
- Add the zucchini, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes. Don't overcook the vegetable
- Add parsley and chopped scallion greens and beans
- Heat through, serve plated with rice. Enjoy !
