July 29th, 2009 
duodishes 
We’d like to take a trip to Hawaii. It’s not too far. We could find some cheap travel deal and skiddadle over there for a long weekend or even a full week. Of course, we’d go to a luau, drink pineapple laced drinks, toss around coconuts, lay on sandy beaches and feel the flowery breeze blow over our faces. Yes, we’d love to take a trip to Hawaii, but we don’t have the funds to do so at this time. That’s too bad. Surely, this must be a great time to visit the islands, but that trip will have to wait. Good thing a friend hosted a Hawaiian themed dinner. It wasn’t quite the same as being able to say mahalo after someone swirls a lei around your neck, but sometimes you have to settle. Though we do not encourage folks to settle in other parts of their lives, in this instance, we had to do just that!
Our job was the appetizer. We figured little meatballs would do just fine for that. Fresh meatballs are always appreciated, right? Think spaghetti and meatballs, albondigas, Italian Wedding Soup, meatball and provolone subs. When there’s a homemade meatball in any of those dishes, you know it! We have been known to use a premade meatball before, but this dish demands the real thing. We think you’d agree. We sprinkled a bit of cardamom into the beef for that je ne sais quoi, and there are little melty bits of caramelized ginger in the sauce that pop in your mouth and then fade out with each chew. James Taylor may have had Carolina on his mind, but all we could think about was Hawaii.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs – Serves 4 to 6
Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
2 shallots, minced
1 egg
1 tablespoon half and half or milk
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Flour
Grapeseed oil
Sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
14 ounces pineapple chunks (with liquid)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1. Combine all ingredients for the meatballs except flour and oil. Mix with hands until just incorporated, adding more breadcrumbs if necessary to pull the meat together. Shape ground beef into balls about 1″ big and place on a platter.
2. Once all the balls have been shaped, drizzle grapeseed oil in a wide pan. When hot, cook meatballs in batches until browned, approximately 1-3 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Save the oil from cooked meatballs when done.
3. Mix cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Add to the same pan that just held the meatballs and stir continuously to combine.
4. Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir well to mix everything. Allow to heat over a medium low flame and cook until it sauce just begins to bubble.
5. Add the meatballs back to the sauce and simmer on low until thick, approximately 5-7 minutes.
Click HERE for the printable recipe.
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Oooh brilliant idea! If you can’t get yourself to Hawaii bring Hawaii to you!
Oh all those tropical flavors in a couple of bites, I can see the Hawaiian surfers in my mind as I chew:)
They sound uniquely delightful!
I’m comin’ w/ you to Hawaii! Love these meatballs. Sweet & Sour is my fave.
Oh to Hawaii what a beautiful trip but if isn’t possible, better to enjoy eating these yummy meatballs and enter into Hawaii mood
Cheers,
Gera
I want to go to Hawaii, too! It’s just a short jump across the pond. Alas, I would be just as happy if I had a plate of these meatballs in front of me. They look fabulous!
I went to college in Southern California and we had a huge Hawaiian population. Before summer break they always hosted luaus. Always looked forward to them, no dining hall dinners on luau nights. I love how food can transport you places…
Duo, that sauce looks incredible. I can’t wait to try these. Great party dish!
Who doesn’t love a good meatball? Yum. And if you ever get to Hawaii, pack me along with you! I’d love to experience Hawaii!
I’m gonna break out my Don Ho CD’s to listen to while i try this recipe out. That, along with a pina colada, should set the perfect mood for our trip to the islands!
The sauce sounds so good with the sriracha! The sweet/spicy mix is great.
Oh! This meatballs look so yummie, love the fruity flavor in it…
Great idea — I can almost feel the sunshine and sea breezes (just give me a Mai Tai!).
Isn’t it great how food can take you places? Adorable meatballs!
I love the addition of ginger and cardamom in these meatballs and the sweet and sour sauce sounds fantastic!
why can’t you guys live closer to SF? =)
I must have been feeling the pull to hawaii last night too, I made my roomie and myself some impromptu pinnacolads! yum!
I can tell from the photo how delicious this must have been. Drooling!
We always make our sweet and sour meatballs this way!!!
Sweet and sour meatballs are a good time. That sauce looks great, I wish my girlfriend would eat sweet and sour.
yum!! take me to Honolulu
Nicely done!! I’d love to go to Hawaii someday too. Ironically, I was about to make a sort of meattball concotion this week, too. haha…
Oh man, I’d skip a trip to Hawaii for a bite of one of those meatballs. Maybe. Ok, maybe I’d actually TAKE these meatballs to Hawaii with me! That’s the plan!
What a neat idea! When you can’t go to Hawaii, bring Hawaii to your house!!
MMMMMMMMMM,…the meat balls look delicious!!
Yeah, I’d like to take a trip to Hawaii. Heck, I’d like to take a trip to SoCal! Failing that, a bit of something sweet and sour will just have to do
Hawaii is on top of my list right now. I’d love to go so much. Love the idea of you Hawaii dinner. Great appetizer!
Love it! All you need is a frosty drink with an umbrella in it. And a pair of flip-flops.
Food can most definitely transport you to a faraway land. These meatballs sound tasty and tropical!!…I’m seeing visions of turquoise waters, white sand beaches and flip flops…..
Those meatballs look fantastic…and such an improvement over the grape jelly/ketchup variety. I love all that ginger….
Holy Hawaiian Meatballs! Never heard of ‘em. Very cool, in a sweet & sour kinda way.
These sound awesome!! Love that pineapple sauce!
I am not sure if it is the summer or what, but I have wanted pineapple flavor in my food, in my drinks, in dessert!
These sound great, and I am catching up on your blog today…