Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

If you're looking for a delicious meat ball recipe, look no further. I grind both beef chunks and veal for added flavor, but the real secret is that I added bread that I soaked in milk. I learned that trick from a chef in Florence, Italy when I was a teenager. The mixture is flavored with various herbs, Parmesan cheese and binded with a few eggs. All that is left is to make your own tomato sauce. I browned each meatball in a non-stick pan, then let the meatballs braise in the homemade tomato sauce.

For a Vietnamese version, check out thịt viên or my mắm chưng thịt recipe, and for an Indian version, try kofta or kebab. Each culture has its own variation and it's equally delicious!

Veal Scallopini with Garlic Cream Sauce (Escalope de Veau Marsala)

 If you're looking for Valentine's Day dinner menu ideas, Escalope de Veau, sauce au vin Marsala should definitely be on your list. Veal steaks are slightly pounded, dredged in flour and pan-seared until golden. The real key to this dish is the rich and creamy garlic sauce made with Marsala wine. I know, garlic on Valentine's Day seems odd. But food that tastes great will set the mood, and what doesn't taste better with garlic?

I paired the veal with ratatouille, but if you'd prefer a starch, mashed sweet potatoes would make a great choice. The most important thing when preparing a romantic meal is to keep it simple. You don't want to spend the entire evening in the kitchen! Veal scallopini is a safe bet, brings the "wow" factor, and is delicious to boot.

** Note: I've gotten some questions about the thickness of the meat. In France, escalope de veau is usually at least 1-inch thick. I think that Americans are more familiar with the Italian version of the dish where the veal is pounded very thin.

Vietnamese-Style Stuffed Tomatoes (Tomates Farcies)

A lot of Vietnamese dishes are inspired by French cuisine, because Vietnam was a longtime colony of the French empire. Tomates farcies (cà chua nhồi thịt in Vietnamese) is no exception. In Vietnam, it is referred to as cà tomates farcies, which literally translates to "stuffed tomatoes tomatoes"!

Traditional French stuffed tomatoes are filled with garlic bread crumbs, chair à saucisse and chopped jambon de Bayonne (sausage meat and prosciutto). The Vietnamese version uses the same filling as meat eggrolls.

I used veal for its low fat content as well as its texture and color for this dish. And most important, it cooks pretty fast. You can certainly use any other meat, such as ground beef.