Veal, like chicken and pork, is mildly flavored and takes to a wide variety of seasonings and sauces. The heady Marsala wine, mushrooms, and herbs create a delicious mélange for the meatballs; serve this over small pasta, such as orzo.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
3 pieces white sandwich bread
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
11/4 pounds ground veal
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, wiped with a damp paper towel, stemmed, and diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 cup chicken stock
2/3 cup sweet Marsala wine
Vegetable oil spray
1. Preheat the oven broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. While vegetables cook, combine egg and milk in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth. Break bread into tiny pieces and add to mixing bowl along with 2 tablespoons parsley, and mix well.
3. Add 1/4 of onion mixture and veal, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again. Make mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan. Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray. Scrape remaining onion mixture into a dish, and reserve.
4. Broil meatballs 6 inches from the broiler element, turning them with tongs to brown all sides. While meatballs brown, add butter to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft. Stir flour, oregano, and thyme into the skillet, and cook over low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add reserved onion mixture, and whisk in stock and Marsala. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Remove meatballs from the baking pan with a slotted spoon, and add meatballs to sauce. Bring to a boil, and simmer meatballs, covered, over low heat, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Note: The veal mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Also, the dish can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat in a 350°F oven, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot.