Serves: 4 / Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Peppers:
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and julienned
- 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and julienned
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and halved and cut into 1/8-inch-thick halved rounds
- 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) olive oil
Meatballs:
- 1 pound of lean ground beef (I used 90/10)
- 1 pound of ground pork
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) oatmeal (or bread crumbs)
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) shredded parmesan cheese (not the grated kind in the green container)
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) Colombo® Dry Marsala wine
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (1/6 ounce) salt
- 1 teaspoon (1/6 ounce) dried Herbes de Provence
- 1 teaspoon (1/6 ounce) fresh thyme (or 1/3 tsp of dried thyme)
Glaze:
- 2 cups (16 ounces) Colombo® Sweet Marsala wine
- 1 cup (8 ounces) beef broth
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) apricot jam or preserves
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) black pepper
Brussels Sprouts:
- 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of olive oil
Sub rolls:
- 4 sub/hoagie/Italian rolls (about 6 inches long each)
- 12 slices of provolone cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º
For the peppers and onions:
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 8 minutes. Add a splash of Columbo® Sweet Marsala wine and cook for about 1-2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside until assembly.
For the meatballs:
Combine all listed meatball ingredients (ground beef through thyme) until evenly mixed, being careful not to overwork the mixture as that can make the meatballs tough. Form into balls about 2” in diameter (using an ice cream scoop helps to keep all meatballs uniform in size). Place on baking pan and bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in the center.
For the Colombo® Marsala-apricot glaze:
Combine all listed glaze ingredients (Colombo® Sweet Marsala wine through black pepper) in a high-sided sauté pan and cook on medium heat, stirring often. Once meatballs are finished in oven, add to skillet and toss in sauce as it continues to thicken, removing from heat once the sauce has reached a thick, syrupy consistency, about 15 minutes.
For the Brussels sprouts:
Discard any brown or yellow outer leaves of sprouts and cut in half lengthwise. With the cut side down, thinly slice sprouts working from top towards stem discarding stem. You can also do this in a food processor with the slicing blade. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add shredded Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring frequently, until sprouts begin to brown and become crisp, 4-5 minutes. Add a splash of Columbo® Sweet Marsala wine and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside until assembly. Set oven to broil.
For the sub rolls:
Slice sub roll lengthwise, almost in half, leaving one side attached. Spread a thick layer (about 1/4 cup) of ricotta on top half. Place 2-3 slices of provolone cheese on bottom half. Broil on high until cheese is melted, 2-4 minutes, and remove from oven.
To assemble the sub:
Place peppers and onions onto the bottom half of roll. Slice meatballs in half and place on top of peppers, slightly overlapping each half with the next. Spoon any remaining glaze on top of meatball halves. Top with the shaved Brussels sprouts. Enjoy!
Recipe by:
Pamela Heady, The Recipe Hunter
