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Posted on Tue, Nov. 10, 2009

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Use lean beef to cut the fat in spicy meatballs

BY JILL WENDHOLT SILVA

Kansas City Star

Long before the meatball rolled off spaghetti, the plump little darling had become a globetrotter.

Various food encyclopedias list the Danish frikadeller, the German Klopse, the Greek keftedes and the Spanish albondiga as prime examples of meatball cuisine.

But regardless of the originating country, most recipes — typically a combination of ground meat, a filler (such as bread crumbs) and a binder (such as beaten egg or sour cream) —are loaded with fat, calories and cholesterol.

The Star's Spicy Mexican Meatballs combine 93 percent lean beef with ground turkey breast to cut down on fat. Baked tortilla chips instead of bread crumbs and egg whites instead of whole egg make a difference. We roll the meatballs into bite-size portions so they can be eaten with a toothpick. Finally, the mini meatballs are baked, not fried.

And what makes Mexican-style meatballs taste different from their international cousins?

The addition of pickled jalapeno bits adds a nice kick, one just hot enough to keep you from overindulging. Pour a store-bought enchilada sauce over all to keep the lean meat moist while serving.

Shopping tip: Be sure to choose ground turkey breast, not ground turkey, which may contain fattier dark meat as well.

Serving tips: To make a quick, easy family meal, serve meatballs with brown Spanish rice and fresh fruit. For another variation: make low-fat flour tortilla Mexican meatball wraps with a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheese.

SPICY MEXICAN MEATBALLS

1/2lb. 93 percent lean ground beef

1/2lb. ground turkey breast

2 egg whites

3/4cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips

1/2cup finely minced yellow onion

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2teaspoon ground cumin

1/4teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos, drained

1 cup canned red enchilada sauce, divided

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 18- by-13-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray coating.

Mix together beef, turkey, egg whites, crushed chips, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, jalapenos and 1/3cup enchilada sauce in a large mixing bowl. Blend well and then shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Place meatballs on prepared jelly roll pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Carefully remove meatballs and place in a decorative heat-proof serving dish (about 11 by 8 inches). Drizzle with remaining enchilada sauce and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and cooked to 165 degrees. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Makes 30 meatballs (about 15 appetizer servings).

Per (2-meatball) serving: 72 calories (44 percent from fat), 3 g total fat (1 g saturated), 19mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 123mg sodium, less than 1 g dietary fiber.

Recipe developed for The Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.