Sausage Meatballs In Rich Mushroom Gravy

From Peggy Trowbridge,
Your Guide to Home Cooking

The meatballs are a mixture of pork sausage, ground chuck, onions, garlic, and herbs which are simmered with baby Portobello mushrooms. The resulting incredibly rich gravy is to die for. It's a perfect topper for normally bland white rice, pasta noodles, or couscous. If you cannot use wine for any reason, simply omit it or use additional broth in the gravy. You can make smaller meatballs to serve as a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

1 pound bulk pork breakfast sausage (we used a sage variety)
1 pound ground beef (ground chuck recommended for flavor)
1/2 large sweet onion, finely chopped, divided use
6 medium cloves of garlic, pressed, divided use
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 Tbsp kosher salt
10 grinds fresh black pepper, or to taste
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided use
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 pound baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup red wine
1-3/4 cups beef stock
1-3/4 cups chicken stock

In a large bowl, combine sausage, ground beef, half of the chopped sweet onions, half of the pressed garlic, parsley, oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream. Fold together with a light touch using hands. Do not over-knead. Form into meatballs the size of a golf ball.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil. Brown the meatballs in batches. Remove browned meatballs to a large bowl.

Melt butter in the pan drippings and add remaining sweet onions and garlic, plus the portobello mushroom slices. Toss vegetables to coat with oil. Sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt. Saute about 5 minutes, until mushrooms release their water. Sprinkle with flour and cook another 2 minutes. Add red wine and cook, stirring for another 2 minutes. Add beef and chicken stock, stirring constantly until flour is incorporated. Return meatballs to the pot and simmer on very low heat for another 30 minutes. Gravy should thicken.

Add remaining 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the meatballs and gravy. Stir, bring back to a simmer, then turn off the heat.

Serve over cooked white rice, pasta noodles, or couscous.

Yield: 8 entree servings