Lunch: Asian Meatballs with Hoisin-Blackberry Glaze

Up your appetizer spread with a recipe for sweet and tangy Asian-inspired meatballs tossed in a hoisin-blackberry glaze.

Ingredients

1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
3/4 pound ground pork
3/4 pound ground veal
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup blackberry preserves
1 cup sliced snowpeas, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 500 ºF. Spray a mini-muffin pan or baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the milk and Panko breadcrumbs and let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the ground pork, ground veal, minced garlic, Chinese five-spice powder, chopped scallions, beaten egg, soy sauce and sesame sauce to the bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the meat mixture, and then shape it into balls using about 3 tablespoons of meat per meatball.
Place the shaped meatballs into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
While the meatballs are baking, whisk together the Hoisin sauce and blackberry jam in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
Remove the meatballs from the oven and either transfer them in batches into the glaze, tossing to coat, or brush the meatballs with the glaze. Serve the meatballs atop a bed of sliced snowpeas.