<h1> Baiting Hollow Winery - Long Island </h1>

I recently went to a winery in Long Island, called Baiting Hollow.  I had actually been there earlier in the summer for a bachelorette party and then returned for a winery tour I had bought on Gilt City. Much to my surprise, I encountered the best meatballs I have ever had. Because we had 3 hours to enjoy wine tasting, lunch, and also venture to the vodka tasting house, we were able to enjoy all that Baiting Hollow had to offer.

Merlot Meatballs and Cheese and Cracker Basket

They offered their famous "Merlot Meatballs" which were so rich and savory. Every bite of these scrumptious balls left me wanting more! They definitely tasted different than your average meatball. You could taste the wine flavor on them, but without it being too overbearing. I looked online for a recipe for merlot meatballs, and I did find one! So perhaps this will have to be my next cooking escapade to try.

Here is the recipe for all you cookers out there! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Servings:

  6   6

6

Units: US | Metric

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickles, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup red wine (Merlot)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup beef broth

Directions:

1      In a medium bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, pickle, parsley, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Roll            mixture into 2-inch balls. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the meatballs in olive oil. Transfer the meatballs to a slow cooker.

1. 2
   Discard any fat from the pan and return to heat. Add the red wine to the hot pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to cook and reduce by half.
2. 3
   In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and beef broth. Stir the mixture into the wine, then pour over the meatballs.
3. 4
   Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve meatballs and sauce with rice, potatoes or pasta.