Hot Spicy Meat Balls

• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and finely grated
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon steak sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed dried hot red chili peppers
• 3/4 cup soft white bread crumbs soaked in 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil (for browning)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons pan drippings
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons dry red wine or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Mix all meat ball ingredients except oil and shape in 1 balls.
2. Brown well in oil, a few balls at a time, 5-7 minutes in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat; remove to paper toweling with a slotted spoon.
3. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pan, add balls, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes, adding about 2 tablespoons water, if needed, to keep balls from sticking.
4. Serve hot on toothpicks with or without a savory dip (Bearnaise, Chinese-Style Sweet-Sour, and Plum Sauce are particularly good).
5. Or, if you prefer, serve in the above sauce: Brown and drain balls as directed; before returning to pan, blend flour into drippings, add remaining ingredients, and heat and stir until thickened.
6. Add meat balls, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes.
7. Serve from a chafing dish with toothpicks.
8. VARIATIONS
9. Roman Meat Balls: For the meat balls, use
10. pound each ground beef chuck and hot or sweet Italian sausages removed from casings; stir-fry 10 minutes over moderately high heat until cooked through.
11. Drain off drippings and cool meat slightly; then mince.
12. Mix with ingredients called for but omit hot red peppers; add 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan.
13. Shape into 1 balls, brown and cook as directed.
14. Per serving: 175 C, 70 mg cu.
15. 510 mg S*
16. Chutney-Nut Meat Balls: To the meat ball mixture add 1/3 cup minced walnuts or toasted almonds.
17. Proceed as directed, simmering in the sauce to which 1/3 cup well-drained, minced chutney has been added.
18. Per serving: 280 C, 75 mg CR, 495 mg S*
19. Chili Meat Balls: Prepare meat balls as directed, omitting hot red chili peppers and adding 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons chili sauce.
20. Also prepare sauce, blending 1 teaspoon chili powder into drippings along with flour.
21. Per serving: 225 C, 75 mg en.
22. 545 mg S*
23. Blue Cheese Meat Balls: Prepare meat balls as directed, omitting hot red chili peppers and salt and adding 3-4 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese.
24. Serve without sauce pass Sour Cream Dressing as a dip.
25. Per serving: 185 C, 75 mg CH, 340 mg S*

ground beef, yellow onion, clove garlic, salt, steak sauce, pepper, red chili peppers, soft white bread crumbs soaked, egg, cooking oil, flour, pan drippings, beef broth, tomato paste, red wine, pepper

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/hot-spicy-meat-balls (may not work)