8 servings; 203 calories per serving
Meatballs:
8 cups fresh spinach leaves (about 2 bunches)
1 teaspoon whipped butter, melted
3 slices white bread
Cold water
2 ½ pounds lean ground round
2/3 cup dry red wine
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
Freshly ground pepper
Sauce:
1 tablespoon potato starch or cornstarch
1 ½ cups chicken stock
¼ cup strained fresh lemon juice
1 egg yolk
Salt
Lemon peel, julienne
Minced fresh parsley
For meatballs: Steam spinach until just wilted. Drain well;
chop. Toss spinach with butter in small bowl. Soak bread in water
until softened, about 30 seconds. Squeeze out liquid. Mix bread,
ground round, wine, garlic, salt and oregano in large bowl. Season
with pepper. Shape mixture into sixteen 4 ½ inch-long,
1 ½ inch-wide ovals. Press finger into center of each,
forming pockets. Divide spinach among pockets. Press meat up
and over spinach, enclosing completely. (Can be prepared 1 day
ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring water to boil in base of
vegetable steamer. Arrange meatballs, rounded side up, on steamer
rack, spacing 1 inch apart. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and
cook until meat is no longer pink inside, about15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce: Dissolve potato starch in ¼
cup stock in heavy, medium saucepan. Add remaining 1 ¼
cups stock and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Mix in lemon
juice. Whisk yolk in medium bowl. Whisk in stock mixture. Return
to saucepan and stir over low heat until thickened, about 10
minutes. Season with salt. Arrange meatballs on heated platter.
Spoon sauce over. Garnish with lemon peel and parsley; serve.