Cooking with Wine

Prepare the Cranberry Base

Add the cranberries, water, and sugar in a saucepan. Over medium heat, cook until the cranberries have popped, and the mixture has broken down – about 10 minutes. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender or in a countertop blender. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes. The base should be somewhat thickened. Remove from the heat to let cool.

Prepare the Sauce

First, remove the stems from the serrano peppers and roughly chop (remove the seeds and pith if you prefer a less spicy sauce). Add them to a sauté pan along with all the other ingredients. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture to ensure the peppers have been pureed. On low heat, cook the sauce until it becomes thick and almost glaze-like. Set aside until the meatballs are done.

Prepare the Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, add all the meatball ingredients. Using gloved hands, mix the meatball mixture until thoroughly combined. Roll meatballs to about 1 ¼” size and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet tray. This will take a while, but this lets the meatballs rest and allows for the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture and help bind the meatballs. In any case, let the meatballs rest on the counter for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes before baking them. Bake for 18 minutes and then cut a meatball open to test doneness. The exact size of the meatballs and the exact temperature of your oven will dictate cooking time, but 20 minutes should be very close.

Coat the meatballs with the glaze and serve immediately.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week and reheat on low in a saucepan with a lid when ready to enjoy.