Fig And Gorgonzola Meatballs With Gnocchi And Radicchio Recipe

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Meatballs have a certain rustic charm about them. Not only are they easy to assemble and cook from a wide array of ingredients, but they can be tucked into soups, sandwiches, grain dishes, or simply served on a skewer. Whether it's Köttbullar from Sweden or Albondigas from Spain, the best meatballs are tender and packed with flavor. This recipe for fig and Gorgonzola meatballs with radicchio embraces both of those elements in a truly elegant presentation that will elevate your meatball experience. Ground pork, smoked bacon, and port-soaked dried figs encompass pockets of molten Gorgonzola Dolce for the perfect balance of salty, smoky, sweet, and funky greatness. Charred radicchio adds a bitter contrast to the rich flavors while fresh sage and thyme provide herbaceous harmony. The meatballs and pan sauce are served over crispy, pan-seared potato gnocchi and topped with crunchy toasted walnuts and sprigs of thyme. Every texture and flavor provides balance and contrast, which keeps the dish from feeling overly rich or heavy.

Coming from Swedish heritage, I know a thing or two about making meatballs. My foolproof method for perfectly portioned and round balls involves a small ice cream-type scoop, a pair of gloves or some oil, and a hot oven. Use the scoop to guarantee that your meatballs will be uniform for even cooking, then hand-roll them with gloves or oiled hands, bake them to keep the shape intact, and sear the outer surface of the balls. This helps to seal in juices and prevent your meatballs from drying out. If you want to do advance prep with this recipe, you can bake the meatballs in advance, freeze them, and then finish them with the radicchio and pan sauce just before serving.

To make the fig and Gorgonzola meatballs with radicchio, you will need to start with dried black Mission figs. Mission figs have a fruity and jammy flavor, which I prefer in this recipe over that of brown Calimyrna figs, which have a nuttier flavor and crunchier texture from the seeds. You will need tawny port for reconstituting the dried figs and as a deglazing liquid later in the cooking process. Thick-cut smoked bacon serves a double purpose. It is crisped up and mixed into the meatballs themselves, while the rendered fat is used to saute shallot, garlic, fresh thyme, and sage. Panko mixed with heavy cream becomes a panade to help moisten the meatballs, and you will need an egg as a binder. The Gorgonzola Dolce is crumbled and carefully folded into the meatball mix to create pockets that burst with flavor. You will need salt and freshly cracked pepper to season the meatballs and the remainder of the recipe. 

To accompany the meatballs, you will need a large head of radicchio along with olive oil to help it char in the pan. Chicken stock is used for the pan sauce liquid, and you will emulsify this with cold unsalted butter. The butter and olive oil are also used for crisping up a package of prepared potato gnocchi (or you can make your own). You will finish the dish with toasted walnuts and more fresh thyme.

Place the figs in a small bowl and cover them with the warm port.

Let the figs sit for 15 minutes, then drain them and reserve the soaking liquid.

Add the bacon to a large skillet over medium-low heat.

Render the fat until the bacon pieces are crispy (about 10 minutes).

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the shallot and garlic to the pan with the rendered bacon fat and cook over medium-low heat until translucent and softened (about 2 minutes).

Add the thyme and sage to the pan and cook and stir for 1 minute.

Transfer the sauteed aromatics to a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the panko and heavy cream and let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the pork, egg, salt, pepper, cooked aromatics, crispy bacon, and drained figs.

Use your hands to gently combine the meatball mixture.

Fold in the Gorgonzola Dolce crumbles.

Cover and refrigerate the meatball mixture for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Use a scoop or spoon to portion the meatball mixture into 2-ounce balls.

Roll the balls with your hands so that they are round and uniform.

Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until golden brown.

While the meatballs are baking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil for frying the gnocchi.

Once the butter has melted, add the gnocchi to the pan in an even layer and cook without stirring for 4-5 minutes until golden brown.

Sprinkle on the salt and turn the gnocchi to brown the other side for an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

In a separate large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the radicchio and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred.

Add the salt, pepper, and reserved fig liquid to the pan and reduce slightly.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, allowing the liquid to reduce by half.

Add the baked meatballs to the pan, stirring to coat.

Turn off the heat and add the cold cubed butter to the center of the pan, swirling to emulsify.

Divide the gnocchi between warmed plates or bowls and top with the glazed meatballs and radicchio.

Garnish with the toasted walnuts and thyme. Serve immediately.

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Taking nuts from raw to roasted activates their fats and brings out a deeper flavor. When used as a garnish or in salads or baked goods, the distinctive nutty flavor of toasted nuts becomes more apparent. Although there are a few different methods to try at home, I find that oven-toasting nuts yields the most effective and consistent results.

To toast your walnuts for this fig and Gorgonzola meatballs recipe, start by lining a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 F, spread the walnuts in a single layer, and then toast them for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Once the walnuts release a nutty aroma and become golden brown, immediately remove them from the oven to prevent burning. The exact amount of time will vary depending on the size of your walnut pieces.

If you don't want to turn on your oven, toasting the nuts in a dry skillet is also effective, but requires careful monitoring. The key is to keep the walnuts moving, whether by stirring them with a spoon or shaking the pan. If the walnuts sit too long in one spot, they will quickly burn, which makes them bitter and unpleasant to eat.

When making this recipe, you might be tempted to grab a container of generic "blue cheese crumbles" rather than seeking out Gorgonzola Dolce, but there really is a difference. Gorgonzola and Gorgonzola Dolce fall in the general category of bleu (blue) cheese, but within this category is a full spectrum of varieties. As with the world of meatballs, many countries have their own special take on bleu cheese, whether it is Roquefort from France, Stilton from England, or Maytag from the United States. The differences come in the type of milk used (cow, sheep, goat), the strain of mold, and the length of aging. These are all key factors in determining just how pungent, creamy, or crumbly the cheese will become.

Gorgonzola hails from the Lombardy region of northern Italy and is produced using cow's milk. Gorgonzola tends to be a creamier and less "funky" variety of bleu, with Gorgonzola Dolce being the mildest version. This consistency makes Gorgonzola Dolce a great choice for melting and brilliant for creating creamy bursts within your meatballs. The milder flavor of Gorgonzola Dolce also balances well with the other ingredients, rather than overpowering them.

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