Method

Put the beef, veal, onion, tarragon, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper into a large mixing bowl. Lightly beat the eggs and pour them over the meat. Mix well using your hands (it’s the best way to make meatballs). Add 2 cups of the bread crumbs and mix well. Set aside.

Put the cranberries, raisins, and vermouth in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook the mix until the fruits are nice and plump, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and discard the liquid, and put the fruits in a food processor along with the lingonberry sauce. Pulse until a paste forms. Set aside.

Form the meat mixture into 16 large balls, between 4 and 5 ounces each. Make a well in the center of each ball with your thumb and fill it with 1 heaping teaspoon of the fruit mixture. Push the meat back over the fruit, making sure to seal the hole, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

When you are ready to cook the meatballs, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour 3 inches of vegetable oil into a large, deep-sided skillet and place it over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes. Test the oil by dropping a bread cube into it. If the cube browns quickly, the oil is ready. Remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and roll them in the remaining crumbs. Carefully place them into the skillet four at a time. Keep a close watch on them, making sure to turn them so they get golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. When all the meatballs are cooked, arrange them on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove, top with Tarragon Butter Sauce, and serve immediately.

Tarragon Butter Sauce

• 1 small bunch fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 small carrot
• 1 plum tomato, halved
• 1 celery rib
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits
• Fresh ground black pepper

Place a sprig of tarragon, the carrot, tomato, celery, and salt into a medium-sized pot along with 2 cups water and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Let simmer until the mix is reduced by half. Strain the stock, discarding the solids, and return it to the heat to reduce it to ½ cup.

Chop enough tarragon leaves to make 1 tablespoon, then add the tarragon and whisk in the butter a tablespoon at a time, making sure it is incorporated before adding more. Taste and season with additional salt and some pepper, if desired. Pour over meatballs immediately.

Serves: 8

Reprinted with permission from @Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, Talk with Your Mouth Full, The Hearty Boys Cookbook, published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang

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