These delicious baked veal and cranberry meatballs are dipped in buttermilk and coated with cornbread. They are a real hit at any holiday cocktail party, simply irresistible.
Makes 28-30 Fritters
Green Cocktail Sauce
Ingredients
1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1 large green heirloom tomato, peeled and diced with seeds removed
½ bunch of cilantro or Italian parsley
½ cup green onions, sliced
1 tsp (5 mL) minced garlic
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Makes 2 cups
1. In a small saucepan, add vinegar, apple and tomato over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times for a coarse consistency.
3. Add all ingredients and purée until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator
For up to 3 weeks.
Ingredients
1 lb ground veal
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ onion, diced
1 red cherry pimiento or Jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries
¼ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
¼ cup parsley flakes, divided
Seasoned salt and black pepper to taste
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup All purpose flour
2-4 cornbread muffins, (store bought optional), ground coarsely
2 cups tomato sauce
Holiday skewers for serving
Rosemary leaves for garnishing
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (180˚C). Line a 13- x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, add veal, garlic, onion, pepper, cranberries, corn, 1 Tbsp parsley, salt, black pepper and mix well. Form into meatballs, set aside on baking sheet.
3. Set up a dredging station by adding the egg, milk to a small bowl, flour in another bowl and coarsely ground cornbread to another bowl.
4. Dip a veal meatball into the egg mixture, coat in flour, back to egg mixture, coat generously with cornbread, return to backing sheet. Repeat with the others.
5. Transfer to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
6. To serve, add the tomato sauce to a platter or bowl, drizzle with green cocktail sauce, garnish with rosemary, insert skewers into the veal & cornbread fritters, and serve with the dipping sauce.