A Painful Lesson...Chicken Meatballs With Ginger And Lemongrass

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This was possibly the most painful meal I have ever cooked.  I can't remember the last time I burned myself to the point of almost fainting from the pain.  Unlike most people whose blood pressure rises when they have pain, mine drops.  Like the mob, I go to the mattresses...in this case the kitchen floor.

I know better than to use my fingers when I am frying instead of easing the food into the frying pan with a spatula.  In this case, it didn't register that these meatballs where also small and flatish, so when I dropped them in, the top of my finger went right into the hot oil.  Ouch is not even close.  My blood pressure dropped and down I went. No I did not faint, but it was close.

Four hours and three vodkas later I was still marinading my finger in iced water.  Every time I took it out it was unbearable.  Of course Madame Mere, after expressing some concern and finishing her wraps quite unperturbed,  pronounced them so so,  not fit for a dinner meal and better for lunch or cocktails .  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She is not a big fan of Asian food and the idea of dinner in a lettuce leaf is too much for her to digest.  Like the debit card, Asian and Middle Eastern food are still a work in progress with her.

She is right though, if you make them slightly smaller they would make great cocktail bites. However,  if you are looking for a light dinner, which we sometimes do, this fits the bill.

The original recipe is not accompanied by hoisin sauce;  but I felt that, like the minced chicken in lettuce wraps we adore,  it could benefit from it.  So I drizzled some over the meatballs before wrapping them.

I enjoyed this recipe but I didn't love it.  The burn probably had a lot to do with that. Would I make it again? I might in another lifetime.  Right now it's too painful to even think about it.

Should you ever get a burn, use cool water...not ice.  I used iced water and it was wrong (but very soothing!) Keep the area submerged at least for 20 minutes.  I did it for four hours.  Vodka on the rocks is optional. At some point you will have to take that finger out and go through some pain. Pour yourself another drink, disinfect the surface and put some Neosporin for the swelling.  Do not use butter, unless you want to fry it.  Four days later it looks better and on its way to healing.

 Here are some professional tips from WebMD.  A better site courtesy of my friend Home Before Dark http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Burn.

Chicken Meatballs with Ginger and Lemongrass
Serves 3 to 4


Ingredients

1⁄4 cup
 (2 fl. oz./60 ml) grapeseed oil, plus more  for oiling the baking sheet

1 lb. (500 g) ground chicken

2 Tbs. panko bread crumbs

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. Asian fish sauce

1 Tbs. minced lemongrass, white part only (I used dried)

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1 1⁄2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

14 small lettuce leaves

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 limes, cut into wedges
Hoisin sauce (optional)

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly oil a baking sheet.

In a bowl, combine the chicken, panko, soy sauce, fish sauce, lemongrass, cornstarch, cilantro, ginger, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Roll into 1-inch (2.5-cm) balls.

Warm a large sauté pan or frying pan over medium heat. Add the 1⁄4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) oil and heat until it appears to shimmer. Add the meatballs and sauté, turning the meatballs to brown evenly on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Drain on paper towels. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Arrange the lettuce, green onions, and limes on a platter. Serve the meatballs in a bowl on the side. Instruct guests to place a meatball in a lettuce leaf, top with green onions, squeeze with lime juice, fold and eat.  You can also drizzle with Hoisin sauce.

Recipes adapted from Williams Sonoma
Photos: The Sous Chef