The Best Chef Who Never Wanted to be a Chef
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Lori Brown - Dec 1, 2016
- 8 min read
Part 1: The Early Years with Chef Ted Dorsey
We sat down with Chef Ted Dorsey of the award winning The Mill Restaurant to ask him some standard interview questions. What we got was so much more and it is all so interesting that I am going to divide this into two sections: The early years and Up to now. The first thing he said to us was, “You know, I never really wanted to be a chef.” This piece will explain what lead him to where he is today and what continues to drive him to greater and greater heights in his career.
Anyone who has ever met Chef Ted, knows what a genuinely humble and kind person lies behind that Executive Chef’s coat. Eating his food is like eating his heart (not literally) on a plate. He and his kitchen staff, which he refers to as his second family, put their heart and soul into every item that comes out of that kitchen. Does that mean it’s always perfect? Of course not. But they certainly strive for that.
Growing Up
Growing up, Chef Ted’s dad always owned restaurants, bars and nightclubs. He was born in Atlanta but his family moved to Clearwater in 1982 when he was six months old to open a second nightclub on Gandy Blvd. They fell in love with the area and his father stayed in the hospitality business opening and redoing many, many restaurants, mostly in Tampa. He was always working the front of the house with his dad.
His mother has owned a preschool in Carrollwood for about 26 years, his sister is a teacher in Hillsborough County and his brother a real estate agent. So Chef Ted is the only one who really followed in his father’s “hospitality” footsteps.
Growing up, Chef Ted said, “I learned the cooking stuff from my grandmother. My mom’s family is from Springville, Alabama.” He and his brother would go up to visit every summer.
“I mean she would do home cooked meals three times a day. They had a farm right there. My grandfather would work the farm and, and bring in all the stuff. In the morning I’d wake up and she’d be down there making fresh biscuits and sausage and gravy, dinners would be served with sliced fresh tomato from the garden. So, I think that’s where I, at a young age, first started to understand the cooking side,” he said.
After High School
After high school, Chef Ted did not even think about going to culinary school. He said, “I just never knew. I never thought about it. I went to college and through the process when I was in my early 20s and it was then that I realized that I didn’t want to go down the roads that I had previously thought I was going to. I figured some kind of banking or money management. It was then that I realized that it just didn’t really excite me.”
He goes on, “And I always knew I wanted to be in this business and I was always front of the house. So I was always in it. I was managing and I thought, you know, if I want to own my own place I guess the best way to do it is to have an understanding of the whole operation so I’ll go to culinary school and learn. And even in culinary school I was an awful student because I didn’t know anything! I remember watching other kids who obviously worked in kitchens before and go that’s something you did? Oh, crap. I’ll just try that. And it was, it was really…. It didn’t click until working at Mise en Place for Marty” (Chef Marty Blitz – owner of Mise en Place). “That was when the light bulb went off.”
His First Start in the Kitchen
Chef Ted got his start at Mise en Place in Tampa. He graduated from culinary school at Le Cordon Blue in Tampa. He said, “There are very limited, really cool restaurants that you want to work at in order to learn from an amazing chef and Marty’s got an amazing reputation. I was there for three and a half years and while I was there Ferrell (Chef Ferrell Alvarez of The Rooster and the Till) was there too. So not only was I learning from Marty but I was learning from Ferrell as well. And I didn’t know anything. I never wanted to be a chef. So I never really paid much attention how to do things. I remember coming out of culinary school and I didn’t even know to cut an avocado because I was front of the house my whole life.”
Chef Ted started as an unpaid intern and the lunch grill was the first position that came open on the line at Mise en Place. Marty asked Ted if he wanted the shot and he said, “I’ll take it and don’t care what it pays. Just get me on that line. And then over three and a half years I just worked my way up and up and up. And at the time I didn’t know that Ferrell was considering leaving. Otherwise, maybe I would have stayed a little longer and try to get a shot at that position.”
First Start as Head Chef
An opportunity came along for a position as sous-chef of a restaurant that had just opened on Davis Island called Chez Bryce. He got the interview, did a tasting for the executive chef/owner and he was hired right on the spot. He said, “It was the first time I’d ever worked for an executive chef owner who wanted to be the owner but didn’t want to do the chef duties.” After about a year the business was struggling due to unfortunate health issues of the owner’s wife and Chef Ted knew that he needed to find something new.
Being fairly new as a chef it is not easy to find good opportunities. “So I started talking to all my food reps because without having a big name for yourself in town it’s not easy. Quality restaurant positions aren’t just posted on Craig’s List. Not for chef positions. Usually for those you go through a headhunter or other services. However, reps know everybody because they probably have 20 accounts down here,” said Chef Ted.
Collaborations On New Concepts in Tampa
He goes on, “One of them called me like two or three days after I left Chez Bryce. I was planning to take a couple of weeks off just to mellow out. You come off working 90 plus hours a week, like we all do, and you need some time off. However just a couple of days went by and my phone rang and it was Gordon Davis. He said, “Ted.” I said, “yes, sir.” He said, “you know, I’m Gordon Davis. Do you know who I am?” I said, “I know a little bit about you, sir.” He said, “well, listen I’d like to have a meeting with you.” I said, “okay.” So we went and met and he showed me the original Ceviche’s space in the base of the Bayshore Royale.”
At the meeting, Davis pitched Ted on the Ciro’s Speakeasy & Supper Club concept. Then Ted did a tasting for Davis and blew him away. Ted said, “Ciro’s just took off like wildfire. I mean it was one of the greatest experiences because never having been an executive chef but now having an owner who just lets you do whatever you want to…well it really allowed me to teach myself and try new amazing things.”
In any business it almost always come down to cost margins, percentages and profits. But, as Ted said, “when we opened Ciro’s, Gordon said, I don’t care. I don’t care about food cost. I don’t care about any of that. I want to win awards. And he knew what he was doing. He wanted to use this as a catalyst to get additional investor financing to open more restaurants. So he let me do whatever I wanted to do. (He) stayed out of my way and I came up with some amazing creations that are still featured on the menu.”
So with Gordon Davis as his mentor, and with his unwavering trust in Chef Ted’s creations, they went onto open several more restaurants in Tampa together:
Ciro’s Speakeasy & Supper Club – May 2010
Samba Room – February 2012
Boca Kitchen Bar & Market – February 2012
Copperfish – May 2013
Of these restaurants, all are still open except the Samba Room which which was only open for six months and became Copperfish. Copperfish did actually close, as well, earlier this year.
Onto a New Venture
After so many years, Chef Ted decided that it was time to move on. When he started looking, one of his dear friends who was a small investor got him an interview with the Hotel Zamora to be the Executive Chef at Castile Restaurant. His interview went well and when he did the tasting he hit it out of the ball park. He said, “So I got the job. That was a long, slow process getting the hotel open. I mean I was working on that project for 10 months before the hotel was opened. Opening a hotel is a very unique experience.”
To be continued…next up Chef Ted talks about his staff that is like his family, his family and the formation of The Mill.
(Chef Ted Photo at top and bottom by Barry Lively)
Read Part 2 Here
- The Mill Restaurant
- 727-317-3930
- Southern, American, Creole
- Tue - Thu 11:00am - 11:00pm
- Fri - 11:00am - 12:00am
- Sat - 10:00am - 12:00am
- Sun - 10:00am - 10:00pm
- 200 Central Ave, St Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
The Mill Restaurant in Downtown St. Pete - Rustic American with a Southern touch and a French Creole twist.
PLEASE NOTE: Reviews reflect a certain moment in time. Some restaurants stay extremely consistent over many years, and some change for the better or worse. Some things that may change are: chefs, recipes, food suppliers, ingredients, philosophies, ownership, etc. We always hope that you have the same good, or great experience we had.
Written by Lori Brown
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This zero-fuss bacon and spinach quiche recipe should be your new weekend go-to brunch. The effort required to craft this crowd pleaser is minimal and the reward is quite high. Additionally, you can transform this quiche into anything you want with the mix-ins. In my opinion, the bacon and spinach combination are fantastic, but feel free to get creative. I recommend limiting the mix-ins to just two and be sure not to exceed two cups in total. Sausage, onion, asparagus, ham and bell pepper would also work well in this quiche recipe. Another customizable component to this quiche is the cheese. The recipe calls for one total cup of grated cheese, but that’s the only guideline that you need to follow. I used a 50/50 blend of sharp white cheddar and a creamy fontina and it turned out better than expected. I initially planned to use gruyere in place of the fontina, but the fontina is what I came across first at Rollin’ Oats and I simply couldn’t resist it. They carry both cheeses though – they have Finlandia and Emmi brand gruyere and Belgioso fontina. Other types of cheese I suggest using are feta, swiss and even mozzarella. If you’re up for it, you can absolutely make your own pie crust; however, store bought frozen crusts will make your life much easier. Just make sure to allow for 20 minutes or so of thawing time. Rollin’ Oats carries a set of two organic pie shells by Wholly Wholesome brand and they’re delicious. They also have gluten free shells available by the same brand and they’re equally as good. Bacon and Spinach Quiche Recipe Use this quiche recipe as a base for making any quiche. Feel free to get creative with the mix-ins, but don't use too many (I wouldn't go beyond three). 1 pie crust (store bought, thawed)4 eggs1/2 cup heavy cream1/2 cup whole milk1/2 cup bacon (cooked and crumbled)1 1/2 cups spinach (fresh)1 cup cheese (shredded, plus more for serving/topping before baking – I used sharp cheddar and fontina, but feel free to use what you love. )1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp black pepper Heat oven to 375F. Place a piece of parchment paper on the thawed pie crust and weigh down with pie weights (or small oven-safe utensil – I used a small skillet). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and poke holes all over the bottom of the crust with a fork. Bake for another 6 minutes or until the crust begins to turn golden.Reduce oven heat to 350F. Combine eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt and pepper in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high for one minute.Stir in cheese, crumbled bacon and spinach.Carefully pour quiche mixture into partially baked pie crust. Top with more grated cheese (optional).Bake quiche for 45-50 minutes, or until quiche is set and no longer jiggly and crust is crisp and golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Slice quiche into 4 even pieces and serve. Breakfast, Brunch, Main DishAmericanBacon and Spinach Quiche
This preparation of risotto removes a whole lot of work and stirring with the use of the oven. The majority of the effort required to make this dish is required during prep. The steps all happen very quickly so it is absolutely crucial that all of your ingredients are prepped, measured, etc. before any of the cooking begins. This risotto is delicious on its own without the mushrooms and tomatoes; however, they really elevate the dish with flavor and texture. The mushrooms specifically are a true delight as they take on a beautiful crisp in the oven – the umami flavor is completely next level. Speaking of mushrooms, you can choose to use whatever kind you can get your hands on. I recommend oyster, shiitake, king trumpet and maitake. Rollin’ Oats carries a superfood mushroom mix that would be great for this recipe. Definitely don’t skip nor skimp on the lemon juice or zest as both add the perfect amount of acidity and brightness. Dill as a garnish also breathes a bit of freshness into the risotto which is composed with richer-leaning ingredients like parmesan, butter, vegetable broth and the mushrooms and tomatoes. If you don’t want to purchase a bottle of white wine just for this dish, use some dry vermouth that you already have on hand. Though, I’m willing to bet that Rollin’ Oats will have a nice bottle of white wine that won’t break the bank and you can enjoy after using it for this recipe. I suggest seeking out something like a sauvignon blanc, vinho verde or pinot grigio. Oven Risotto with Roasted Mushrooms & Tomatoes Recipe This method for preparing Risotto simplifies the process by minimizing all of the stirring. The roasted mushrooms and tomatoes taste like an explosion of umami. Tomatoes1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)1 tbsp olive oil1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp garlic powderMushrooms1 lb mushrooms (cut or torn into 1-2" pieces – use any mushrooms like shiitake, oyster, king trumpet or whatever you can find)2 tbsp olive oil4 garlic cloves (minced)6 thyme sprigs1/2 tsp saltRisotto & Assembly2 tbsp olive oil1 white onion (medium in size – diced)1 cup arborio rice1/2 cup white wine (dry vermouth will also work)1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)1/4 tsp black pepper (cracked)3 cups vegetable broth1 cup parmesan (grated)1 tsp lemon juice1 tsp lemon zest2 tbsp unsalted butter1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)lemon wedges ((optional)) TomatoesMake the tomatoes first. Heat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss all tomato ingredients together in a bowl. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast tomatoes for 30-35 minutes or until the edges start to take on a little color. Add tomatoes to a plate and set aside until ready to plate. Reserve baking sheet for mushrooms.MushrooomsPlace one oven rack on the bottom and the other more towards the middle. Heat oven to 350F. Toss all mushroom ingredients together in a bowl and place them in a single layer on reserved baking sheet. Roast on the bottom rack for 30 minutes or until the mushrooms crisp up a bit.Risotto & AssemblyPrepare risotto while mushrooms are roasting. Heat oil in a dutch oven or other oven-safe pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add in onion and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until onion softens.Add in rice and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until some of the rice begins to turn translucent.Pour in the white wine or vermouth and cook while stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed – about 2 minutes. Add in 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.Carefully pour in 2 1/2 cups of the vegetable broth and set remaining 1/2 cup aside (we will use this later). Bring pot to a simmer, place the lid on the pot and put into the oven on the middle rack for 18 minutes until most of the broth has been absorbed.Carefully take pot out of the oven, remove the lid and heat risotto over medium heat. Add in the remaining 1/2 cup broth and cook risotto while stirring constantly until rice is almost done and sauce has a creamy consistency, 3-5 minutes.Turn off the heat and stir in parmesan, lemon juice, zest and butter. Stir to combine and taste for salt. Add in more if needed.To plate, add risotto to bowls, top with tomatoes and mushrooms and garnish with dill. Serve with more lemon wedges if desired. Main CourseAmerican, ItalianOven Risotto, Oven Risotto with Roasted Mushrooms & Tomatoes
My most recent restaurant review was centered around Sonata Restaurant at the Mahaffey Theater. For this month’s recipe, Kevin presented a brilliant idea of reverse engineering an item from Sonata’s menu. A few ideas were tossed around and ultimately, we landed on this one – Panko Crusted Pickled Deviled Eggs. We, of course, ordered these during our recent visit to Sonata and we absolutely loved this unique spin on a classic. Kevin informed me that the Panko Crusted Pickled Deviled Eggs from Sonata were carried over from The Mill by Chef Ted Dorsey who is now the executive chef at Sonata. These deviled eggs boast a tantalizing contrast with a crisp exterior giving way to soft, tangy center that delights the palate with each bite. The brightness of the avocado cream and the subtle kick of the spicy aioli serve as ideal complements to the eggs. I made some notes whilst first trying these at Sonata and when it came time to make my own rendition, I worked backwards and tried to keep each detail as close to the delicious original as possible. I started with the aioli and the avocado cream, which tasted like classic versions of themselves. The pickling of the eggs proved to be the most challenging, as there are at least a few ways to go about this. The concoction I used with red onions turned out spot on to how I had envisioned them. I have used beets in the past, but knew that a lot of people aren’t fond of them and the onions worked quite well in their place. Plan to make this recipe at least 24 hours before you plan to serve them, as the pickling process requires at least one full day. The ingredients required for this grown up version of deviled eggs are really quite simple – you’ll be able to pick them all up at Rollin’ Oats Natural Food Market. When picking out your eggs, opt for cage free and/or organic, like Vital Farms or Utophien. Rollin’ Oats even has organic breadcrumbs by Edward and Sons. As for the mayo, they also have organic options which makes me more than happy. I recommend Woodstock or Cadia. Recreating the plating of these eggs was so enjoyable as the presentation of them is quite gorgeous at the restaurant and I love the plating process. Serve these at your next dinner party, or perhaps for the upcoming Super Bowl – your guests will be more than impressed. Panko Crusted Pickled Deviled Eggs This recipe was inspired by the Panko Crusted Pickled Deviled Eggs on the menu at Sonata Restaurant in St. Petersburg, FL. They're a sophisticated and delicious spin on classic deviled eggs and are perfect for a party or gathering. Pickled Eggs6 eggs (or more/less depending on how many people you are serving – preferably cage free and organic)1 1/2 cups rice wine vinegar1/2 cup water6 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)1/2 red onion (medium in size and sliced thin)1 1/2 tbsp sugar1 tbsp salt1 tsp black peppercornsAvocado Cream1/2 avocado (ripe and medium-large in size)1/2 lime (medium in size – about 2 tbsp)1/2 cup plain greek yogurt1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste as needed)1/2 tsp olive oil1/4 tsp black pepper (cracked)Spicy Aioli1 cup mayonnaise3 garlic cloves1 tbsp lemon juice1 1/2 tsp cayenne (if you really like heat, add as much as you'd like.)1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp black pepper (cracked)Panko Crusted Deviled Egg Assemblypickled eggsavocado creamspicy aioli1 cup panko breadcrumbs2 cups vegetable or canola oil (use any other frying oil of your choice)2 eggs (whisked together)1 cup all purpose flour3 tbsp mayonnaise1 tsp dijon mustard2 dashes hot sauce (like Diamond Crystal (optional))salt1/2 tsp paprikafresh dill (chopped, for garnish (optional)) Pickled EggsMake the pickled eggs at least 24 hours before you plan to serve them. Bring a large pot of water with enough water to cover eggs to a boil. Carefully add eggs to pot and boil for 10 minutes. Prepare an ice bath while the eggs boil. After the 10 minutes are up, add eggs to the bath to stop the cooking process. Leave for at least 10 minutes.In a medium pot, add all pickling ingredients with the exception of the eggs and onions. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and add the onions. While pickling solution cools a bit, carefully peel the eggs, discard ice bath water and place peeled eggs into the bowl used for the bath. Carefully pour pickling mixture with the onions over the eggs in the bowl used for the ice bath and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours.Avocado CreamThe day that you're going to assemble your eggs, make the avocado cream. Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until well combined. Mixture should be similar to a yogurt-like consistency. Add water, 1/4 tsp at a time, if mixture is too thick. Season with more salt as needed and refrigerate until ready to assembleSpicy AioliAfter the cream is complete, make the aioli. Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until well combined. Season with salt as need. Optionally, you can add this mixture to a squeeze bottle or piping bag for plating purposes. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.Panko Crusted Deviled Egg Assembly24 hours later, remove eggs from pickling mixture – they should be slightly pink. You can optionally reserve onions and pickling mixture in a jar for another use. Cut Eggs in half and carefully scoop out the cooked yolks and add them to a bowl. Mash them and then mix in the mayo, dijon, hot sauce (if using) until smooth. Season with salt as needed.Add flour, whisked egg and panko to three separate bowls and have a plate ready. One at a time, coat eggs in flour, next egg (allowing excess to drip off) and then panko. Set on reserved plate.Heat oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. Line a separate plate with a paper towel. One at a time, fry […]
A Dutch Baby, also known as a German pancake or Dutch puff, is a delightful breakfast dish that elevates the boundaries of traditional pancake offerings. This oven-baked pancake is characterized by its unique puffiness and golden-brown edges which create a visually appealing presentation. The batter is made of simple ingredients like eggs, flour, milk and sugar which are all combined and poured into a piping hot buttered skillet. This mixture is then baked in the oven where it transforms into a fluffy and airy pancake with a custard-like interior. Typically, Dutch babies fall under the category of a sweeter breakfast option, as they’re often served with fresh fruits, syrups and dusted with powdered sugar. Though, they can also act as a savory option and are equally as delicious when topped with ingredients like bacon, avocado, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and more. We’re taking the sweeter route this time with the addition of fresh strawberries, mint, maple syrup and an easy-to-make coconut whip which is made by whipping the solids of a can of coconut milk. Add some slabs of butter and a dusting of powdered sugar if you so desire – you won’t be disappointed. Feel free to make this recipe your own by using other fruits, like blueberries, raspberries and bananas. I chose strawberries, because they’re in season in Florida during the month of January and it’s quite simple at this time to find quality berries, especially organic varieties at Rollin’ Oats. I always encourage folks to buy organic when possible and Rollin’ Oats makes that easy with their high quality organic grocery options. Make sure that you get the can of full-fat coconut water into the fridge the night before you plan to make the Dutch baby. Since we are only using the cream part, fridge time ensures that the cream solidifies as it should in order to separate it from the water easier. Reserve the coconut water for another use. Dutch babies are prefect when you need a simple crowd pleaser that both looks and tastes impressive. Additionally, it’s great when you’re looking to feed a small crowd with minimal effort. Dutch Baby with Strawberries & Coconut Whip Recipe A Dutch baby is a mouthwatering twist on a traditional pancake. This luscious oven-baked pancake is adorned with fresh strawberries, coconut whip, fresh mint and maple syrup to ensure sweet & fluffy bites that are certain to please. High Speed Blenderovenproof skilletstand mixer Coconut Whip1 can unsweetened coconut milk (full fat & chilled in the refrigerator overnight)1 1/2 tbsp honey1 tsp vanilla extractDutch Baby & Assembly3 eggs3/4 cup whole milk2 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)1 tbsp unsalted butter1/2 cup flour2 tbsp cornstarch1 tsp sugar1 tsp vanilla extract1/2 tsp salt1 cup strawberries (washed & sliced)mint (fresh & torn)maple syruppowdered sugar (optional)butter (for topping, optional) Coconut WhipScrape the cream from the top of the chilled coconut milk (leave the water behind and save for another use) and add it to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in vanilla extract and honey and mix on high until soft peaks form. Serve immediately or store in the refrigeratorDutch Baby & AssemblyPlace a medium oven-proof skillet (like cast iron) into the oven and heat the oven to 425F. Keep the skillet in there for at least 30 minutes until your batter is ready to be poured in. Prepare the batter by first adding 3 eggs to a blender. Blend the eggs on high for one minute – the eggs should now be a frothy consistency. Keep the motor running and slowly/gradually add in the milk, followed by the 2 tbsp of melted butter.Blend in flour, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla extract and salt just to combine (we don't want to over mix). Remove hot skillet from the oven and immediately add in remaining 1 tbsp of butter and swirl to coat the pan evenly. Carefully pour the batter into the skillet and bake the Dutch baby for 20-25 minutes, or until you see it begin to puff and slightly brown.The pancake will deflate a bit after you remove it from the oven and that's okay. Top with a few dollops of the coconut cream, fresh strawberries, maple syrup, butter and powdered sugar, if using. BreakfastAmerican, GermanDutch Baby Pancake Recipe, Dutch Baby Recipe
Meatballs are almost like a universal love language. In fact, throughout my thirty something years on this planet, I cannot recall a single time when I encountered a human who shared their distaste for this food. A mashup of ground meat, cheese, eggs, herbs, garlic, breadcrumbs (and sometimes additional ingredients) formed into individual bite size spheres swimming in a bath of luscious sauce, typically red. They’re quite hard not to love. What sets these meatballs apart from most others is the addition of mortadella. Mortadella’s popularity has been growing for some time now and I don’t see that slowing down anytime soon. Mortadella originated in Italy and in essence, is an emulsified large format pork sausage. The pork meat is minced into a smooth paste, stuffed into a casing and then steamed. The complexion of the mortadella is created by a combination of fat, peppercorns and often pistachios and the texture is quite smooth. It’s enjoyed in a number of ways – sandwiched between bread, on charcuterie boards, draped over pizzas, and so on. The inspiration to lace meatballs with mortadella was sparked during a recent trip of mine to New York City while reading a restaurant menu. This particular restaurant had a veal and mortadella meatball appetizer offering and it piqued my interest immediately, as I have a love affair with mortadella. While I did not try the veal and mortadella meatballs, I knew I had to experiment with the concept when I got home. I used an abbreviated version of the beef meatballs that I usually make and added in a healthy amount of diced mortadella. The result was marvelous – just fatty enough, packed with flavor and rich without being too over the top. I decided to go with a roasted red pepper sauce instead of marinara as I thought that the marinara would overpower the beautiful savory and succulent notes that the meatballs project. Additionally, bell peppers are in season in Florida in December, so I figured this was an ideal time to utilize them. You can use jarred roasted red peppers instead of the fresh ones in this recipe to speed things up a bit. Rollin’ Oats carries Jeff’s Naturals organic roasted bell pepper strips and they would work as a great substitute. You can find the rest of the ingredients for these meatballs also at Rollin’ Oats with the exception of the mortadella. That you can usually find at most specialty grocers. The ground beef that I used for these meatballs from Rollin’ Oats was the Dakota organic grassfed 85/15 blend, which proved to be perfect. These meatballs and the roasted red pepper sauce are wonderful on their own as a pre-dinner appetizer, delightful tossed with spaghetti and satisfying while tucked into a split top roll with lots of parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Mortadella & Beef Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe These mortadella spiked meatballs in roasted red pepper sauce are packed with flavor. Serve them as an appetizer, or toss them with your favorite pasta. Make sure you have some toasted bread handy for scooping up the delicious sauce. Meatballs1 lb ground beef (grass-fed and/or organic preferred)1/2 lb mortadella (diced into small pieces)1/2 cup parmesan (grated)1/2 cup breadcrumbs1/4 cup basil (chopped – plus more for serving)2 eggs (whisked)2 garlic cloves (minced)2 tsp saltRoasted Red Pepper Sauce2 red bell peppers (cut in half – stem and seeds removed)2 vine ripe tomatoes (medium in size)1/2 white onion (medium in size, diced)1/2 cup heavy cream3 garlic cloves (minced)1 tbsp dried oregano2 tsp salt (plus more, to taste)1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated – plus more for serving) Roasted Red Pepper SauceHeat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place bell pepper halves on sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes, or until peppers begin to take on some color. Remove peppers from oven, place in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for 10 minutes (this will make it easier to remove the skin). Once cool enough to handle, remove and discard pepper skins – you'll have about 1 1/2 cups of roasted peppers.Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath in a bowl. Cut a shallow x into the bottoms of each tomato. Carefully drop tomatoes into boiling water for one minute then place the tomatoes in the ice bath. Remove tomatoes from ice bath and the skin should peel off with ease – discard skins.Place tomatoes and peppers into a blender and blend for 30 seconds until you have a semi-smooth puree. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add in onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softening begins – 6-7 minutes.Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes until very fragrant. Then, mix in dried oregano.Pour in pepper and tomato mixture and season with salt. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes (reduce the heat if the sauce begins to boil). Season with more salt as needed. Pour in heavy cream and 1/2 cup grated parmesan and stir to combine. Continue to gently simmer sauce until meatballs are finished in the oven.MeatballsHeat oven to 350 F Combine all ingredients in a large bowl with your hands. Gently form into golfball sized meatballs – mixture should yield about 16 meatballs. Evenly space them apart on the baking sheet and put them into the oven for 20 minutes.After meatballs have baked in the oven, carefully nestle them into the pot with the sauce, reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer meatballs in the sauce for 30 minutes. If you find that the sauce is too thin, add in some more grated parmesan until you've reached the desired thickness.To serve, spoon meatballs into a dish with some sauce, top with grated parmesan and garnish with fresh torn basil. Appetizer, Main CourseAmerican, ItalianMortadella & Beef Meatballs, Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
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