Piri-piri

George Hirsch Know Your Fire Fridays

I can’t think of anything better than this sauce for this week's Know Your Fire Friday. Yes you will still be lighting the grill - this is just a different kind of heat to top your grilled foods with.

Piri-piri is a Portuguese name of Brazilian origin for the African bird's eye chili. Piri-piri sauce is made by soaking dried or fresh chili’s in lemon and vinegar to make a condiment much like the Argentine chimichurri, but only with a really fiery kick. When using fresh and very ripened red chilies - you'll know they are ready to pick when the ends of pepper point straight up. 

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A piri-piri sauce is a robust topping when used on seafood and fried fish. But you don’t have to stop there, you can also use on beef, lamb and poultry. Also, this piri-piri sauce can be added to marinades for a little extra kick. Below is a basic version, but experiment by adding a Tablespoon of coconut, coconut milk, cream, ginger and Thai basil for a Far East style. Or, you may add ketchup, brown sugar and extra vinegar for southern flavored heat.  

Using a food processor, add about 4-5 (more or less depends on your fire wish) chilies that have been roughly chopped (suggestion: use gloves), 6 peeled garlic cloves, 1/4 cup mixed cilantro and flat leaf parsley, juice of 2 lemons, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar, 1 Tablespoon sugar, pinch of sea salt and puree 30 seconds or until smooth. Slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil until blended. Pour sauce into a glass or ceramic container. Use a drop or two at a time until you’ve mastered the fire. Sauce will keep for 2-3 weeks in fridge. 

You can add a few drops of piri-piri sauce to these recipes:

Sword Fish Skewers

Chicken Tikka

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Nana’s Meatballs as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Series

Chef George prepares Nana's Meatballs on George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series

George's Nana’s Meatballs

Makes 12 Jumbo, 24 large or 40 mini meatballs

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

3 pounds ground beef, 80 / 20 blend; can use a combo of beef, pork, and veal

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine

2 eggs, cracked and beaten

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups day-old Italian bread, pulsed into crumbs

1/2 cup chicken broth, to soften bread crumbs (variable amount may have to add more broth just to soften crumbs) 

Fresh ground black pepper

* Note all ingredients should be very cold before blending. 

In a mixer or by hand mix all ingredients until well blended. Dip hands in ice water before shaping into round balls.

Spray an oven-roasting pan with grease spray.

Use an ice cream and scoop up meatballs; roll by hand until they are shaped round. Do not over handle as to not over warm-up meat. Repeat until all meat is used up. Do not overcrowd meatballs to make it easier to move them while baking. 

Refrigerate meatballs for at least 30 minutes to chill. Prepare Tomato Sauce below.

Preheat a large heavy gauge sauté pan to high heat, or if making a large quantity of meatballs brown in a hot oven at 425 degrees F. 

Roast meatballs for five minutes in the oven or on the stovetop just until they begin to brown. If roasting gently shake the pan to move meatballs to turn over or use a spatula for meatballs if browning in sauté pan. Continue cooking for a few additional minutes (or less if mini) or until meatballs are brown on the outside. Meatballs will not be fully cooked and will continue to cook in tomato sauce. 

Remove meatballs with a spatula and add to gently simmering sauce and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes. 

For the Tomato Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 

1/2 cup minced sweet onion

6 cloves garlic, minced 

2 (28 ounces) cans crushed San Marzano Tomatoes

2 (6.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Fresh ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons each fresh chopped parsley and basil

In a large saucepot sauté add olive oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat until light brown. Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with dried basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, pepper, and half of the parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked browned meatballs and top with fresh chopped parsley and basil before serving. 

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