Celebrating National Meatball Day with Chef Bobby from Encore Catering

www.encorebanquets.com Chef Bobby’s Mediterranean inspired Meatless Meatballs For the Meatless Meatballs: INGREDIENTS: 15 ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed 1/2 cup Chick Peas drained 1/2 small onion 2 cloves garlic , peeled 1 large egg , beaten 1/3 cup breadcrumbs 1/3 cup brown rice cooked 1 Tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste Place rinsed and drained black beans / chick peas in a bowl. If needed, blot them with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture. Place in a large bowl and mash well with a fork. Place the onion and garlic in a food processor and process until finely minced. Transfer mixture to a fine mesh strainer to remove the excess water. (Remove as much moisture as you can Add the strained vegetable mixture to the bowl with the black beans. Add the chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add beaten egg and mix. Stir in bread crumbs. Portion out the meatballs to about 2 ounces each. Bake them at 375 degrees F on a lightly oiled parchment paper baking tray for 18-20 minutes middle rack. Rotate the meatballs at about 12 minutes quickly 180 degrees to insure even cooking. I like to place the meatballs over a fresh green salad or even a hearty Greek salad.