photo from Well Fed 2
These chorizo meatballs from Melissa Joulwan of The Clothes Make The Girl are amazing. I made them last weekend and intended to take a photo — but they were so good we ended up eating them all! Fortunately, Melissa was kind enough let me share the incredible recipe and photo from her new cookbook, Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes For People Who Love To Eat. And provide a copy of Well Fed 2 to give away!
Well Fed 2 is more than just great recipes. It starts with helpful information sections including the basics of paleo, 30 reasons to do a Whole30, and tips for socializing. Then it goes into paleo versions of just about any food you're craving. My favorite chapter is Burgers, Balls and Bangers. It has recipes for 15 international flavors, instructions on how to make them into patties, meatballs or sausages — and how to cook them in the oven, on the grill, or on the stovetop. All with meat variations and suggested go-alongs. I think this one chapter will keep me supplied with dinner ideas for a long time.
Melissa Joulwan’s Chorizo Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 clove garlic minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon dried ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: In a small bowl, mix baking soda and cream of tartar in water. Meanwhile, place meat and all other flavorings in a mixing bowl. Add the baking soda/water to meat.
- Blend: For a smoother, more tender texture, use a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a food processor) to mix the ingredients. For more a traditional, nubby texture, mix the meat by hand.
- Shape: Roll about 1 tablespoon of meat into a 1-inch ball.
- Cook using oven, grill or stovetop: OVEN: Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400F, then bake meatballs for 20-25 minutes, until browned and sizzling. GRILL: Preheat a gas grill with all burners on high and the lid closed, about 10 minutes. Thread the meatballs onto skewers (metal or bamboo soaked in water), leaving a little breathing room between them. Place on the grill grates and cook 4 minutes, then flip the skewers and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, until browned and sizzling. STOVETOP: Heat a little fat in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Add the meatballs in a single layer, leaving some wiggle room around them — you will probably need to cook them in batches. Cook, turning occasionally for even browning, about 6-8 minutes, until caramelized outside and cooked on the inside.
For more ground meat recipes, try these:
Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes For People Who Love To Eat (Smudge Publishing).
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book, but all opinions are my own.
castleofblue
January 31 at 3:19 pmI don’t know how truly international it is, but I love ‘healthified’ General Tso’s chicken. 🙂
Debbie
January 31 at 3:20 pmId have to say Puerto Rican Beef
Susanne Perry
January 31 at 3:35 pmLove a lot of your recipes would like to have the cookbook to continue to eat paleo
Elisa (@ElisaGIH)
January 31 at 3:38 pmMy favorite international recipe… I love udon soup, real Italian pizza, sushi, sweet and sour chicken, pad thai… too many to count 🙂
Vanessa
January 31 at 4:41 pmI love anything Thai! Tom Kha soup, pad thai, pad see ew!
Kim
January 31 at 5:05 pmI love baingan bharta! mmm
Kelly Mueller
January 31 at 5:11 pmMy favorite International Recipe? hhhmmmm. I think I would have to go with Pad Thai (made with sun shine sauce, allergic to peanuts ;D)
Christine
January 31 at 5:14 pmlove it
Alli
January 31 at 5:19 pmRight now I am loving a paleo “Moo Shu Pork” recipe!! Most Asian inspired cuisines = YUM!
kymber
January 31 at 5:34 pmI don’t know if I have a favorite…but LOVE Mel’s recipes and use her 1st cookbook all the time.
Suan Craig
January 31 at 7:49 pmAsian food
Samantha
January 31 at 8:30 pmI love curries, all types of curries…and luckily it fits in with my new-found love of Paleo.
Hollis
January 31 at 9:16 pmI love making vietnamese style stir fry with lots of fish sauce and lime.
Chrissa Hunt
January 31 at 10:24 pmMel’s recipes are the best! I love her middle eastern recipes. The Moroccan dipping sauce and ras-el-hanout spice mix are staples in my home.
itzia
February 1 at 10:34 amTinga de pollo
PendleStitches
February 1 at 11:57 amMy favourite international recipe has to be beouf bourginon. I have it simmering in the oven as I type.
Cristal Porter
February 1 at 4:06 pmMy favorite international recipe is probably chili verde and spanish rice. Gosh, I love anything Mexican! Grew up eating it and experimenting with making more paleo versions.
Suzanne
February 2 at 6:26 amItalian roast pork – delicious!
Denise C
February 2 at 11:01 pmI’ve been making lots of chimichurri sauce lately. Yum!
Stephanie D
February 3 at 6:42 pmI adore Vietnamese food!
Susan Lawrence
February 3 at 7:17 pmTough to choose just one! Asian I love all the veggies
Andrea
February 4 at 1:04 pmFav international food has to be anything from China with garlic. Visited there a few years ago and the area I was in seasoned everything with garlic. Yum!
kristina
February 10 at 11:15 pmMy favorite international recipe…pad Thai.
Kendra
February 14 at 7:28 pmMy favorite is Mexican although I try not to eat the outer coverings….corn, flour…fajitas are yummy!
Colleen G
February 15 at 5:18 amSomething Greek – marinated lamb maybe.
Samantha M. (@imaclutz89)
February 15 at 4:30 pmWe make a lot of vegetable stir fries!
Heather
February 16 at 11:18 amI love fajitas!
Sharon
February 16 at 10:38 pmI love tabouleh!