French Onion Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 pound ground chicken or beef
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup finely grated gruyere cheese, plus extra for topping
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning the meatballs
- 1 ½ cups chicken or beef stock
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon flour
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the onions with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions caramelize, about 30 to 40 minutes. Once the onions are golden and caramelly, transfer them to a plate.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take half of the cooled caramelized onions and chop them up so they easily mix into the meatballs.
In a bowl, stir together the chicken, garlic, ½ cup gruyere, all the parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add in the chopped caramelized onions. Mix until the meatballs are just combined. Do not over-mix! - Use your hands to form the mixture into 1-2 inch meatballs. It helps if you wet your hands with water before rolling.
Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown them on all sides - let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes, before flipping. (You can also brown them in the oven, and when firm, add them to a pan.) - Once the meatballs are completely browned, fill a shaker cup or water bottle with the stock and flour. Shake it for 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into the skillet with the meatballs. Add in the dry sherry and remaining caramelized onions. Top the meatballs with the remaining gruyere cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately!
