Mamou Meatball Stew featuring Cajun Trinity

Haynes

3 lbs ground beef

3 eggs

¾ cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 Tbsp salt

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp white pepper

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp garlic powder

½ cup chopped onions, total of 2 cups needed for full recipe

¼ cup chopped bell peppers, total of one cup for full recipe

¼ cup chopped celery, total of one cup for full recipe

¾ cup flour

¾ cup oil

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped bell pepper

½ cup chopped celery

1 qt chicken stock

1 qt beef stock

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped bell pepper

¼ cup chopped celery

1 bunch sliced green onion, white part only

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 bunch chopped green onion, green parts only

Hot white rice for serving

French bread

Tabasco

Combine ground beef with eggs, bread crumbs salt, peppers, thyme and garlic powder. Add ½ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup chopped bell pepper, and ¼ cup chopped celery. Mix well then form into golf ball sized meatballs. Reserve for later.

Heat oil and flour in a heavy pot large enough to hold your stew. Stir constantly over medium high heat to get a dark brown roux. Add 1 cup chopped onions, ½ cup chopped bell pepper and ½ cup chopped celery. Stir occasionally as you cook the mixture for about five minutes. Then add both the chicken and beef stocks. Return to a boil, lower to simmer and be prepared to adjust heat to maintain simmer as you add the cold meatballs.

Gently place meatballs into simmering stock. Simmer for 20 minutes with vented cover without stirring so the meatballs don't break up.

Add the final batch of trinity, containing ½ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup chopped bell pepper, ¼ cup chopped celery, and add the white parts of the sliced green onion. Stir gently and simmer for 30 minutes.

Skim any fat from the meat off the top.

Add parsley and green parts of the green onion, cover, remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving over white rice with tabasco and French bread.

Venison or ground pork could be subbed for some of the ground beef.

Using raw meatballs as written will improve the flavor of the gravy. Browning the meatballs as commonly done prior to adding them will improve the flavor of the meatballs instead of adding flavor to the gravy, and also help the meatballs hold together, and in some opinions improve the texture of the meatballs. If you brown your meatballs before adding, you can eliminate the first 20 minute simmer. Brown the meatballs in a usual manner. Add the browned meatballs, return to heat, and add the trinity for final 30 minute simmer. Using raw meatballs as written will improve the flavor of the gravy. Browning the meatballs as commonly done prior to adding them will improve the flavor of the meatballs instead of adding flavor to the gravy, and also help the meatballs hold together, and in some opinions improve the texture of the meatballs. If you brown your meatballs before adding, you can eliminate the first 20 minute simmer. Brown the meatballs in a usual manner. Add the browned meatballs, return to heat, and add the trinity for final 30 minute simmer.

Adding the trinity in stages as written provides different textures for the vegetables, and promotes the trinity as a key component of this dish. For a quick weekday version, do the roux, the seasoning vegetables, the stock, then the meatballs. Bag or two of frozen meatballs works also. Skim the grease when you see it.

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