For the recipe you’ll need cooked basmati rice, ground turkey, shredded zucchini, fresh garlic, ground cayenne, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, scallions, fresh parsley, fresh basil, olive oil, jalapeño, cilantro, Greek yogurt, a lemon, butter and saffron threads.

Saffron is an expensive spice. I purchased a small jar last year around the holidays at my local Costco. If I remember correctly, I paid under $20. Saffron is also used in Risotto alla Milanese.

While the recipe indicates it takes 30 minutes to prepare, it’s closer to 45 minutes and change. I first started by preparing the basmati rice as it’s needed as part of the meatball preparation. While the rice was cooking, I began making the meatballs. Once the rice was cooked, I placed the 1/2 cup needed in a bowl to cool down before pulsing in my food processor until finely crumbled. The rice is added to the turkey mixture and then shaped in to meatballs. The meatballs cook in 10-12 minutes. While they’re baking, it’s time to make the yogurt sauce. This is made in a food processor and consists of fresh garlic, jalapeño, cilantro leaves, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. As we’re not of fans of cilantro, I substituted parsley.

We’re not done yet! Next you’ll need a non-stick saucepan to prepare the remaining saffron rice. In the end, however, this was quite a tasty meal. The meatballs were quite flavorful, moist and tender. The sauce was a nice contrast against the hot meatballs and had a little kick of heat from the jalapeño. The rice was delicious with its nutty and floral notes. The rice is sautéed in a bit of butter with crumbled saffron threads and was the base for the meatballs. Overall, a wonderful meal, despite the number of dishes afterwards. In order to save time, you may want to prepare the yogurt sauce the day before and just leave the rice and meatballs for the day you want to serve.

Another dish I finally had time to prepare was Fried Chicken Salad with Basil-Buttermilk Dressing. I found this recipe in a recent copy of “Southern Living Magazine.”

For this recipe you’ll need fresh basil, mayonnaise, whole buttermilk, fresh garlic, granulated sugar, onion powder, kosher salt, mixed greens, 8 ounces of chicken tenders, extra-sharp cheddar cheese.

To make a quick meal out of this recipe, I recommend purchasing Bell & Evans Chicken Tenders. I made my own breaded chicken cutlets and sliced for the salad. The salad dressing is prepared in a food processor.

To serve, you’ll need a large platter. Lay down a bed of greens. I add sliced, steamed New Jersey carrots, fresh tomatoes and topped with the chicken. A drizzle of dressing; dinner was done!

What a wonderful meal. As it was served on a warm and humid evening, it was the perfect light meal. Add some crusty bread or warm sour dough white bread from Breadsmith Bakery and you have one tasty meal. 

Turkey-Zucchini Meatballs with Green Yogurt and Saffron Rice
Recipe by Mona Talbot, Talbott & Arding Cheese and Provisions, Hudson, NY
From The Wall Street Journal column “Slow Food Fast”
June 5-6, 2021
 
 
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves: 4
 
2-1/2 cups cooked basmati rice
1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
1 packed cup coarsely shredded zucchini
3 cloves garlic, minutes
Ground cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/3 cup minced parsley
¼ cup minced basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ medium jalapeño, seeded and chopped
½ cup cilantro leaves, plus more to garnish
1 cup Greek yogurt
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons butter
1 pinch saffron threads
 

1. Make the meatballs: Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse ½ cup cooked rice until grains are finely crumbled. In a medium mixing bowl, combine crumbled rice with round turkey, shredded zucchini, 2 cloves minced garlic and a good pinch each of cayenne, salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Work in scallions, chopped parsley and basil until evenly distributed.
2. With wet hands, form meatballs about the size of golf balls and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush meatballs with 2 tablespoon olive oil. Bake until just cooked through, 10-12 minutes.
3. Make the green yogurt: In a food processor, pulse together remaining garlic, jalapeno, ½ cup cilantro leaves, yogurt, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Once well combined, taste and season as needed.
4. Make the saffron rice: Set a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. Add butter in crumble in saffron threads. Once butter starts to sizzle and saffron cent blooms, after about 1 minute, stir in remaining cooked rice. Once grains are evenly coated in butter, cover pan and gently warm rice through, about 1 minute. Season with salt.
5. To serve, spoon saffron rice onto plates and top with turkey meatballs. Spoon green yogurt over top and garnish with cilantro.