Recipe: Meatish Sweet Balls with Mushroom Sauce (no meat, using brown rice and nuts)

MEATISH SWEET BALLS

1 cup bread crumbs, or more as needed
1 cup cooked brown rice (1/2 cup raw)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds, or a combination
2 eggs, beaten
Scant 1/2 cup sour cream
Scant 1/2 cup plain yogurt
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

FOR THE SAUCE:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream

TO MAKE THE SWEET BALLS:
Mix the bread crumbs, brown rice, nuts, eggs, sour cream, yogurt, salt, and thyme together until thoroughly blended. Shape into 18 balls, adding more bread crumbs to thicken if needed.

In a large skillet, fry the balls in the oil over medium heat until brown, turning them as necessary, and doing this in batches if necessary, for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them warm. Pour the pan drippings into a small bowl.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
Use the same skillet in which the Sweet Balls were cooked to saute garlic, onion, and mushrooms until soft, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste, then the yogurt and sour cream. To thicken the sauce, add the mixture over medium heat until thoroughly blended and of the desired consistency; do not allow the mixture to boil.

Pour the sauce over the Sweet Balls and serve.

Dawn P. Ramage - Action, Massachusetts

Makes 18 sweet balls, serving 6
Source: Stonyfield Farm Yogurt Cookbook by Meg Hirshberg