Blueberry Pork Meatballs with Blueberry Sauce

Hey! In case you didn’t see it, I am in the Sacramento Bee today, as part of a round-up of blueberry recipes.

I am posting it again here because I wanted to explain my inspiration for my recipe. I wanted to contribute a dish to the Bee that wasn’t a dessert, or a breakfast item. Something original that used blueberries (which in their original state are very good for you), and didn’t candy them up. Most of all, I wanted to make a Paleo recipe! 🙂

So, if you’re invited to a potluck, or you are throwing a little party this season, this is the perfect dish to share. It might sound a little strange at first, but think of the classic turkey and cranberry combination, and you might see where I am coming from! 🙂

INGREDIENTS
4 dried figs
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon rosemary (grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Blueberry sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely diced
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup water
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon zest
4 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter
Dash salt
2 tablespoons honey

INSTRUCTIONS
Pulse the figs, blueberries and cinnamon together in a food processor; set aside.

Mix the ground pork, ground beef, minced onion, garlic, parsley, egg, ground rosemary, salt and olive oil together until well combined.

Then add the fig and blueberry mixture to the meat mixture. Mix well, leaving small chunks of the fruit intact. (Think chocolate-chip cookie dough.) Form the meat and fruit mixture into ping pong-size balls. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you prepare the sauce.

For sauce: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat.

Sauté the shallots until they are translucent. Add the wine, followed by the water, and reduce for about 3-5 minutes. Add the blueberries. As the skins burst open, add the lemon juice and zest. Let the sauce continue to boil and thicken (5 minutes).

Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in butter until it is completely melted. Salt to season.

Cool the sauce slightly, and add the honey to sweeten and help thicken the sauce a little more.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bake them at 350 degrees until the meatballs are slightly browned and before meat is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest. (The meatballs will be cooked through with the residual heat.)