For the Meatballs:

2 pounds ground beef
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from two or three slices of dense, course bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 heaping tablespoon fresh chopped basil
1 heaping tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Meatball directions:

1. Mix all ingredients except olive oil by hand in a large bowl, using a light touch.

2. Take about 2 1/2 ounces of meat in hand and roll between palms to form a ball that is firmly packed but not compressed. Each should be about two inches—bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis ball.

3. Heat the olive oil over medium-high in a large, heavy pot that will be later used for sauce. When it shimmers, add the meatballs in batches. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Allow them to brown well on the bottoms before turning or meatballs will break apart.

4. Continue cooking until browned all over. Don’t over cook. Remove them to a plate as each batch is finished.

5. Allow meatballs to cool slightly, cover and refrigerate until sauce is ready.

Makes 16 meatballs. Recipe can be halved.

For the Sauce:

1 pound pork spareribs, neck bone or pork chop
1 pound chuck roast, blade steak or brisket
Salt and pepper for seasoning the meat
1 medium onion, chopped small, or about three quarters cup
2 cloves minced garlic
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 bay leaf
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, Italian if possible
1 28-ounce can tomato sauce or 1 26-ounce carton of Pomi strained tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
4 small or 2 large jarred pepperoncini

Directions:

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the beef and pork.

2. Using the same pot and remaining fat from cooking the meatballs, brown the meat quickly and remove.

3. Turning heat to medium, add the onions and cook three minutes, stirring.

4. Add the garlic and cook another three minutes.

5. Add tomato paste and stir, cooking the paste for a couple of minutes until it absorbs the fat and deglazes the pan.

6. Add the oregano, basil, red pepper, salt and bay leaf, stirring to combine.

7. Add the cans of tomatoes and sauce, then fill each can with water and add to the sauce.

8. Stir in sugar and parsley and pepperoncini, add back the two meats and any accumulated juices, and bring sauce to a gentle boil.

9. Turn heat down to a simmer, partially cover and leave the sauce to simmer for two and a half hours or more, stirring regularly.

10. About 20 minutes before serving, add back meatballs and allow them to heat through.

11. To serve, boil one pound of spaghetti according to package directions. Drain pan, add spaghetti back to pan and add three cups of sauce, or enough so all the spaghetti is generously coated.

12. Toss pasta in the hot pan for a minute, then put the pasta on a large platter. Pour two more cups of sauce over the pasta, then arrange meat and two meatballs per person.

13. Serve with a bowl of sauce and a bowl of Parmesan cheese to pass.

Note: Remaining sauce and meatballs can be frozen.

Serves 6 to 8.

Four Cups

Baking kale is an interesting process. First, the leaves become bright green and soften, then they begin to turn crisp. In between, they go through a chewy-crisp stage, which i s also delicious. So the baking time is flexible. Just keep checking the kale until it is done the way you like it.

A little olive oil or oil spray for the baking tray

1 bunch fresh kale,  stem end trimmed and cut into 1-inch sections (about 1 pound)

2 to 3 tablespoons grated parmesan (optional)

1.Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush or spray a large baking sheet with olive oil.

2.Spread the kale out in an even layer on the oiled sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice with a wooden spoon.

3.Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until it’s as crisp as you like it. (The kale will continue to shrink and crisp the longer it bakes. Remove the tray from the oven, and let the kale cool on the tray. Kale Crunch will keep for a week or two in a covered container—no refrigeration necessary.

Adapted from “Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven.” (Hyperion 2000)

Kale is not the sexiest vegetable, but it’s a powerhouse, nutrient-wise. For starters, here are some of kale’s benefits:

• Superb source of beta-carotene
• Helps to prevent cancer
• Reduces heart disease
• Helps prevent age-related chronic diseases
• Can be stir-fried, steamed, cooked in soups and stews, and baked.

Gail Pettiford Willett, a terrific cook, cooking teacher, and health and nutrition coach (with her husband Walter Willett at the Harvard School of Public Health), showed us an easy and delicious way to make kale taste terrific. It’s her form of kale magic via Mollie Katzen, author of the original Moosewood Cookbook.

Enjoy!

Nina

Click here for recipe.