Lachlan makes his savory meatballs with a mixture of lamb, veal and bacon and, surprisingly, a little ricotta cheese to keep everything moist. He serves them on an unconventional salad of grilled scallions with shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Ingredients 2 pounds ground veal 1 pound ground lamb 3 large eggs lightly beaten 2 each thick slices of lean bacon minced 1/4 cup shallot minced 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs fine 1/4 cup fresh ricotta 1/4 cup Montasio or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese freshly grated Kosher salt 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth 3 cups water 1 1/2 pounds thin scallions trimmed Vegetable oil 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 (3-oz) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano shaved with vegetable peeler into strips, about 1 cup 1 preserved lemon halved (see Note)

Instructions
Light a grill. In a large bowl, using your hands, mix the ground veal and lamb with the eggs, bacon, shallots, fresh bread crumbs, ricotta, montasio and 2 teaspoons of salt. Shape the mixture into 40 golf ball-size meatballs.

In a wide saucepan, bring the chicken stock and water to a boil. Add half of the meatballs and simmer over moderately low heat until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked meatballs to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.

On another large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the scallions with vegetable oil and season with salt. Working in 3 batches, grill the scallions over high heat for about 2 minutes, turning once, until charred on both sides; return the grilled scallions to the baking sheet. Gently toss the grilled scallions with the olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings. Grill the preserved lemon halves over high heat, cut side down, for about 4 minutes, or until charred. Squeeze the grilled lemon halves over the scallions and toss again. Arrange the scallions on a platter.

Drizzle the meatballs lightly with vegetable oil and roll to coat. Grill the meatballs over high heat, rolling to turn them, until lightly charred all over and heated through, about 3 minutes total. Using tongs, arrange the meatballs on top of the scallions and serve.

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Yields: 8 Servings
     Food & Wine magazine, February 2007, page 102

notes:  MAKE AHEAD: The poached meatballs can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

* Preserved lemons, a staple of cooking in Morocco and Tunisia, are made by salt curing. They’re available at specialty food stores and Middle Eastern markets.

WINE: For these rich meatballs, Stuckey likes to pour one of his favorite Friulian reds, the 2002 Bastianich Vespa Rosso -- a velvet-textured blend of Cabernet, Merlot and the local red grape variety Refosco. A good substitute would be a vivid Washington State Merlot, such as the raspberry-rich 2003 Hogue Genesis.

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