A Master of Disguise

On first glance, you might actually be fooled into thinking these are just your average meatballs. But this dinner was made for a vegetarian: my buddy Tim (Albert was there too!) Before my carnivorous readers navigate away from this post, let me tell how how AMAZING these were! Both light and rich, these Eggplant “Meatballs” with Homemade Tomato Sauce were definitely a worthy substitute.
These are definitely a little time consuming, but the product is completely worth it. Having made vegan macaroni and cheese before, I knew that nutritional yeast was a great option for mimicking the flavor of cheese – it served as the “parmesan” in these meatballs. Panko along with Ener-G Egg Replacer were the binding agents. All in all, it was a surprisingly delicious outcome! This healthy alternative for meatballs is sure to please even the staunchest of carnivores – click HERE to check out this awesome recipe!
I also made a side of Lemon-Dill Zucchini that was extremely simple (you can also get a glimpse of my NEW All-Clad skillet – SO excited!) The zucchini at the market looked beautiful, so I couldn’t resist. Basically you just heat some oil in a large skillet, then add the zucchini slices with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add some garlic, lemon, and dill and you’re set to go! Whatever you decide to pair with these meatballs, I’d suggest a simple green – you’re already going to be putting a lot of energy into the main course, so go easy on the side dish.
I wanted to pair these “meatballs” with a piece that also pulled off an ingenious disguise – the vegetarian of the evening, Tim Wilfong, naturally came up with the perfect piece: A Chloris, by Reynaldo Hahn. While this song may sound French, it was in fact written by a Venezuelan composer. Known for writing in the tradition of mélodie, Hahn was often confused for being a French composer. Another disguise to this pairing is the recording itself: the song is written for a woman, yet this recording is by a man – the countertenor Phillipe Jaroussky. While it can be argued that Hahn is a “worthy substitute” for a French composer, the latter comparison can best be addressed in Tim’s own words: “A man singing in a woman’s range…no one could ever say he’s a “substitute” for a woman, though!!!” Anyways, this is a beautiful piece, and I hope you enjoy!