2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup sweet onions, finely diced
1 Tbl. plus 1 tsp. garlic, finely minced
2 Tbl. plus 2 tsp. fresh basil, finely minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 375 deg. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except eggs. Crack eggs in a separate bowl and add to meat mixture. Blend by hand until just incorporated.
Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on large sheet pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until 160 deg. Shake pans occasionally to allow meat to brown on all sides.
Remove pans from oven Pour Kells Guinness Cream Sauce (see below) over meatballs and serve.
Kells Guinness Cream Sauce
14 ounces beef broth
2 Tbl corn starch
3/4 cup Guinness draught stout
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic, finely minced
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
In a small bowl, mix 2 - 3 ounces beef broth with corn starch. Set aside.
Combine remaining broth and other ingredients, except heavy cream, in heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add heavy cream. When cream is blended, slowly drizzle in cornstarch mixture, whisking until incorporated. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
(Recipe from chef Ethan Light, Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub, Portland, Oregon and published in a newspaper).
Note: double this recipe uses approximately one can of Guinness beer and fits nicely in a 5 Qt. crockpot.