Recipe: Hatch Chile Meatballs in Zesty Greek Yogurt Sauce

I have had many of my readers recently ask me for Hatch chile recipes after attending recent roasting events. Inspired by the Melissa’s Produce Hatch chile cookbook, I set out on making several hatch chile recipes this year, although my favorite were these hatch chile meatballs.

I modified my original recipe, so that it can be made quickly and using common ingredients already in your refrigerator.  The hardest part will be finding Hatch chiles, if they are not in season.If you like Hatch Chile, the season is almost over, so you should stock up now.

Ingredients

Hatch Chile Meatballs

• 1 pound hamburger meat (20% fat)
  • Note: You can add or substitute any ground meat for this recipe  (turkey, lamb, pork or a combination)
• 6 Melissa’s Produce  Hatch chiles-  roasted, skinned and seeded and diced
  • Note: You can use mild or hot Hatch chile in this recipe, based on your tolerance for heat. 
  • Substitution:   You can substitute Anaheim chile, but they don’t have that unique flavor of Hatch
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup ground crackers or store bought bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro – chopped
• 1 tablespoon crushed fresh garlic 
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Kikkoman low salt soy sauce- (adds salty flavor and adds a little umami. Using soy sauce is a great trick for adding a dynamic salt flavor to meat) 
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking

Zesty Greek Yogurt Sauce

The goal is to create a cool sauce, but with a sting on the back-end of bite. 

• 1 cup Greek yogurt dip (any flavor) – but I prefer “Trader Joe’s Mediterranean Greek Yogurt Dip with Feta Cheese & Za’atar Spice” – Using this ingredient is the shortcut
• 2 cups salsa of your choice – I recommend a mild salsa,  so that you can slowly add desired heat)
• 1 teaspoon garlic  powder
• 1 (+/-) tablespoon Chipotle tabasco (smokey heat)
• 1 (+/-) tablespoon Tapatio (tangy heat)
• 1 (+/-) teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 2 tablespoons of feta per serving
• Cut chives to garnish. 

 

Method

Meatballs

1. Mix together gently each of the meatball ingredients together using clean hands. The key here is gently mix the ingredients until integrated. Less processed meat creates fluffier meatballs.

2. Gently form meatballs by rolling them in your hand.  Do not overly pack them together, like you are Major League baseball pitcher waiting for a fast ball.

3. Grill the meatballs on a flat pan with a light application of olive oil, until they have a crust, and slightly budge when you press down with your thumb. You are going for a medium-well temperature.

4. Set meatballs aside

 Note: Taste one of the meatballs  to see how spicy they are. If already spicy (because your hatch chiles had more heat than expected, then throttle down on the heat of our sauce

 

Sauce and Plating

1. Mix together Greek Yogurt Dip, salsa, hot sauces, and dry seasoning.
2. Place about 1/3 cup of mixture into personal portion sized bowls (oven safe). . You are essentially creating a puddle for the meatball presentation.  Place about 5 meatballs on top of the sauce.
3. Place bowl in the broiler for 5 minutes, or until meatballs develop a  deep brown crust and sauce forms  a crust. This process will heat the sauce and finish cooking the meatballs. As a bonus,  the sauce will permeate the meat, adding additional flavor.
4. Dress the dish with cold feta and chives