I found this recipe on Food and Wine's Instagram site and fell in love with the idea. I went off my diet for the weekend and this was the dish I chose to indulge in before returning to my diet on Monday. The recipe below reflects my modifications: for one, I used chicken, not pork. I added more panko than the recipe called for in order to make stiffer balls (pork would not need the fortification). I used about 1/2 c chopped onion, not 2 cups (ridiculous), 1/2 tsp salt not 2 teaspoons and 1 cup of spinach, not three.
The result: it's a keeper!!! Terrific garlicky-cheesy (which can be as bold or as delicate as you want them to be, just add more or less) flavors and textures, and a very fast dish. Chop the onion and celery and add to a saucepan for the saute, and separately make the meatball mixture and portion out 12-20 balls with a cookie scoop on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400F.
When you start sauteeing the onion and celery mixture, pop the meatballs in the oven. Turn them as you stir the rice--they'll both be ready at about the same time. Serve the rice in the bottom of a shallow bowl and top with the meatballs.
The first set of ingredients is the meatballs. Anything divided gets added to the second set of ingredients for the rice. You all know how to make risotto, so I didn't provide further instructions.
1 pound ground pork or chicken
1/2+ cup panko
1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated with a Microplane (about 2/3 cup), divided, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste and for garnish
2 Tblsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 Tblsp unsalted butter (2 ounces), divided
1/2 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups lower-sodium chicken stock or broth
2 cups water
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach
Makes four servings.