Tangy Mango Cocktail Meatballs

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Serves 6 to 8

Cooking Time 1 to 2 hours on Low

Slow Cooker Size 3½ to 7 quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Sweet and sour meatballs are always a hit, but we wanted to give ours a little twist. For the sweet element, we wanted a bright and fruity flavor. Mango chutney proved perfect; it had a bold, lightly spiced sweet flavor, and its thick, sticky texture clung perfectly to the meatballs. For a balancing savory note, we added a can of tomato sauce. A teaspoon of garam masala, stirred into the meatloaf mix, added warmth and complexity and paired nicely with the mango sauce. A quick stint in the microwave helped to remove excess fat from the raw meatballs and firm them up before they were added to the slow cooker, where they needed to simmer gently for only an hour until they were tender and flavorful. Meatloaf mix is a prepackaged mix of ground beef, pork, and veal; if it’s unavailable, use 8 ounces each of ground pork and 85 percent lean ground beef. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1	pound meatloaf mix
½	cup panko bread crumbs
¼	cup milk
1	teaspoon garam masala
1	teaspoon minced garlic
	Salt and pepper
1¼	cups mango chutney
1	(15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2	scallions, sliced thin

1. Using hands, mix meatloaf mix, panko, milk, garam masala, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in bowl until uniform. Pinch off and roll mixture into tablespoon-size meatballs (about 30 meatballs total) and arrange on large plate. Microwave meatballs until fat renders and meatballs are firm, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine chutney and tomato sauce in slow cooker. Transfer meatballs to slow cooker, discarding rendered fat. Cover and cook until meatballs are tender, 1 to 2 hours on low.

3. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of sauce. Gently stir in scallions and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Meatballs can be held on warm or low setting for up to 2 hours; loosen sauce with hot water 2 tablespoons at a time as needed.)