What does it take to make the best meatball in central Maine? “It’s all about the beef,” says Chris Abbruzzese of Double Z Land and Livestock in Turner.

Abbruzzese and his wife, Kate, recently participated in a meatball contest in the Boston area. “We had so much fun,” he says, but “we wanted to do something closer to home.”

With additional inspiration provided by the teens in the Youth Powered Cooking Program at St. Mary’s Nutrition Center on Bates Street in Lewiston, the Abbruzzeses rolled out the inaugural Central Maine Meatball Challenge on Sunday, March 8.

Several days prior to the showdown, seven teams began mixing, rolling and cooking their balls of meat. Although only amateur chefs were eligible to compete, several teams were mentored by local professional chefs.

Naturally, a Double Z meatball was not entered in the contest. However, Abbruzzese shared some of his secrets to making a good meatball. “We make a panade with buttermilk or yogurt — anything with a tang — and bread crumbs (that) absorb liquid,” with the panade acting as a binder for the meat.

They also use ingredients such as “pancetta, because it’s basically an umami bomb,” Abbruzzese says. Umami is Japanese for “deliciousness” — a meaty, savory quality that compliments the four other tastes: salty, sweet, sour and bitter.

But it’s not just about the ingredients, said Chef Tony Scherrer, executive chef at Martindale Country Club, it’s also “about the technique.”

Scherrer, who mentored the “Meatballers,” one of two Youth Powered Cooking Program teams, opted not to use a panade. Instead, his team relied on the braising technique – cooking them low and slow in a tomato sauce — to yield a well-formed, lean-beef meatball.

Scherrer’s recipe for the Meatballers — Elias Atkins, Fowsiya Musse and Hawo Dakane — also called for canned tomatoes, celery salt, a little bitters, onions, brown sugar (to cut the acid in the tomatoes) and a squeeze of lemon to finish.

Mixing a cup of their tomato sauce into the meat, the Meatballers placed their rolled product into a long, deep baking pan and poured the remaining sauce over the meatballs before cooking them. During the long six hours in the oven, explains Scherrer, “the fat rises to the top,” to be skimmed and discarded.

With nary a noodle to be found, Scherrer noted: “This meatball’s so good I think the spaghetti would just get in the way.”

The other Youth Powered Cooking team, dubbed the “Meatheads” by team members Everline Niragira, Ryan Marley and Mohamed Abdullahi, were mentored by Chef Owen Keene of Bates College.

According to Marley, their meatball used “garlic, onion, basil and peppers,” for a spicy, sweet and savory flavor.

Another challenge competitor, Jennifer Carlton, who lives in Lewiston and is mother to 2-year-old Benjamin, has been “making meatballs from scratch for 10 years or longer.” Inspired more recently by Benjamin’s fondness for meatballs, she modified her recipe as a way to include healthy things like vegetables and oatmeal in his diet.

In addition to pureed greens and, yes, oatmeal, Carlton uses ground beef, turkey and pork in “Baby B’s” meatballs. She bakes them in stoneware for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through, and serves Benjamin these nutrient-packed meatballs with her own veggie-rich marinara sauce.

Doreen Simmons, of Stoneheart Farms in South Paris, says she entered the contest “as a way to showcase our lamb.”

In addition to the combination of ground lamb and beef, Simmons uses garlic, onions, applesauce and cornflakes in her meatballs. It’s a recipe she found in an old cookbook and then “tweaked and edited” to make it her own and to make use of the things that she and husband, John, grow on their farm.

Simmons served her meatballs with a thick roasted tomato basil soup as sauce, a garnish of lemon, basil and chopped garlic, and a shredded blend of four cheeses.

Molly Dumais of Turner served a traditional Italian-style meatball made with lean beef, parmesan, garlic, egg and breadcrumbs. According to Abbruzzese, who is Dumais’ friend and neighbor, her meatball included a “magic ingredient: prosciutto . . . an umami bomb!”

Dumais’ sauce was made with crushed tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic and sauteed onions.

Robert Bernheim, of China, Maine, studied in Germany as a university student. While abroad, Bernheim frequented a sausage stand and learned to make the “filling and hearty schwabische fleischkuchle mit spatzle” that he enjoyed there on a daily basis.

“It all starts with caramelized onions,” he says, adding, “It’s like aromatherapy.”

Traditionally, this dish is “more like a burger,” but Bernheim likes to make it as a meatball. It’s comfort food, he says, and he serves it with his own barbecue sauce or with spatzle, a pasta-like dough that is first boiled and then fried.

The final team, led by cooking instructor Paul Drowns of the Nutrition Center and rounded out with Cheryl Sampson, Christine Doyle and Joyce Levigne of the Center for Wisdom’s Women in Lewiston, produced what may have been the most atypical meatball of the contest. “Paul came up with this really interesting meatball” called albondigas con salsa de almendras, says Sampson. “We’ve been cooking it for three days.”

Made with pork and grass-fed beef from Double Z, as well as spices including paprika and nutmeg, the meatball is “married with a sauce that we made with our own almond paste,” says Sampson, giving it an unusual almond color. It was finished with a spoonful of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.

“Every culture has a meatball,” said Scherrer, and this competition represented a variety of cultural influences.

According to Abbruzzese, Double Z’s goal was to “weave in professionals to mentor the kids and to show them the professional outlets for their passion for food.” It was also “a way to create awareness for the Nutrition Center and the Youth Powered Cooking Program.”

Speaking two days before the competition to the meatball makers hard at work in the Nutrition Center’s modern, sun-drenched kitchen, Abbruzzese said: “This is really where it happens . . . the real substance is happening now, and the gravy is what happens on Sunday.”

And the winner was:

Bernheim’s German meatball, served with his spicy barbecue sauce, which took the top prize. A respectable 2nd-place award went to Chef Scherrer’s team, the Meatballers, with honorable mentions going to the remaining competitors.

It’s no surprise the true winners in the competition were the 60-plus visitors on event day who enjoyed a taste of the best meatballs in central Maine.

Baby B’s meatballs

By Jennifer Carlton

The recipe includes 2 parts lean ground beef, 1.5 parts ground turkey, 1 part ground pork and 1 part pureed greens.

For every pound of ground meat and pureed cooked greens, combine:

1 beaten egg

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Dash of salt

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or 1/4 cup fresh herbs)

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (or 2 cloves minced)

3/4 cup quick oats

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients until combined.

Shape into balls, place on sheet pan (or stone), bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove and turn each meatball (use 2 forks), bake another 8-10 minutes. Combine with favorite sauce. Enjoy as is or with pasta.

Albondigas con salsa de almendras (Andalucian meatballs in almond sauce)

By Chef Paul Drowns and his team

Makes about 36 albondigas

Ingredients:

For the albondigas:

1 pound ground beef or lamb

1 pound ground pork

2 slices stale bread broken into small pieces, crust removed — about 2 ounces total

Water or milk for moistening the breadcrumbs

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced onion

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 egg, beaten

Flour for dredging the albondigas

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salsa:

40 almonds, blanched and skinned

1 slice bread, about 1 ounce

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

10 peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon saffron (or substitute 1/8 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon paprika

1 fat clove of garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2/3 cup white wine

1 cup meat or chicken stock

A squeeze of lemon, to taste

Chopped parsley, to garnish

Slivered fried almonds, to garnish

Method:

For the albondigas:

Combine ground meats in a bowl.

Soak sliced bread in water or milk until softened. Squeeze out excess liquid and add bread to meat along with garlic, onion, parsley, salt, nutmeg and egg.

Kneed mixture well, until smooth in texture and roll into small walnut-sized balls.

Roll in flour and fry slowly in hot oil until browned completely on all sides.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

For the salsa:

Fry almonds, bread and garlic in oil until golden, taking care not to let the garlic brown. Remove and set aside.

In a mortar or processor, combine peppercorns, saffron and salt. Add the toasted almond mixture and wine. Grind or process to form a smooth paste.

Combine this mixture in the pan with remaining oil and stock, bring to boil and then add the fried albondigas. Simmer for 20 minutes in the sauce, adding a little liquid if needed. Immediately before serving, add a squeeze of lemon and serve garnished with chopped parsley and slivered almonds.

Meatballs in tomato Sauce

By Chef Tony Scherrer and the Meatballers

Sauce:

Oil for sauteing

2 red onions, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/2 cup Italian seasoning

1 gallon-size can whole tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon celery salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

Meatballs:

5 pounds grass-fed, heart-healthy beef

1/4 cup Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 large cup of the sauce (see above)

Process for sauce:

In a large heavy-bottomed sauce pot over medium heat, cook onion in oil and garlic until tender (do not burn garlic). When soft and translucent, add the rest of the ingredients and heat, stirring often

Process for meatballs:

Mix all ingredients until equally distributed. Form into equal-size balls and place in a large double boiler. Cover with sauce. Cook 6 hours in a 350-degree oven. Check often and skim fat.

Garnish with chopped basil, lemon, garlic and grated parmesan cheese.

Lamb meatballs with applesauce cider gravy

By Doreen Simmons of Stoneheart Farm in South Paris

1 pound ground lamb

1/2 cup crushed cornflake crumbs ( 1 1/2 cups whole)

3/4 cup applesauce

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 egg

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 quart roasted tomato basil soup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Combine the meat with the cornflake crumbs, 1/2 cup of the applesauce, onion, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon of thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Gently mix by hand.

Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on waxed paper or a baking sheet.

Whisk together the tomato soup, remaining 1/4 cup applesauce, remaining thyme and water in a skillet or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a simmer.

Drop the meatballs gently into the sauce, return to a simmer and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and serve over your favorite pasta or mashed potatoes.

Swabian meatballs (in a BBQ sauce) with noodles

(Schwabische fleischküchle mit spatzle))

By Robert Bernheim of China, Maine

Meatballs (serves 5)

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 loaf of challah bread (3 to 4 sandwich-size slices or 3 stale burger-size rolls

1 pound ground beef (or substitute 1/2 pound each of ground pork and ground beef)

1 diced onion

1 egg

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

3 tablespoons butter, divided into 1 tablespoon and 2 tablespoons

Procedure:

Dice onion and gently caramelize in 1 tablespoon butter; set aside to cool.

Rip bread/rolls into small pieces; add to large mixing bowl with milk. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.

Once onions are cooled, add to bread/milk mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk egg, paprika, marjoram, salt and pepper together; add to bread/milk mixture and incorporate well.

Using clean hands or a wooden spoon, add ground meat to the bowl with the other ingredients; thoroughly integrate them all together.

Form into silver-dollar-size patties or 1-inch diameter balls and place on parchment paper over a baking sheet.

Place patties into freezer for at least 10 minutes.

Heat large skillet and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add patties and fry evenly on both sides. (Patties can be baked or broiled rather than fried in a pan.)

Serve warm with assorted dipping sauces of your choice (BBQ, sweet and sour, marinara, etc.), or plain with spatzle (recipe below).

BBQ sauce

1 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

3 tablespoons white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

2 tablespoons. Worcestershire sauce

1 diced onion

Dash of your favorite hot sauce (optional)

Caramelize onion in a pan; transfer to cooking pot.

Add all the other ingredients, stir to thoroughly integrate, and bring to a low simmer.

Serve with meatballs as a dipping sauce or as a bath for the meatballs.

Spatzle

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 teaspoon of salt

2/3 cup of cold water

Procedure:

Place a pot of water on the stove top and bring it to a rolling boil; add a bit of salt.

While the water comes to a boil, pour flour into a mixing bowl, making a well in the middle; add the eggs, salt and water, and mix with a dough hook (or by hand).

Mix the dough until it becomes smooth. Be careful that the dough does not become chunky; it will be sticky.

Take out the spatzle hobel (the spatzle press) and place it securely over the pot of boiling water.

Fill the spatzle press with the dough and slide the press back and forth as the dough drops through the sieve into the water below.

When the dough floats, remove it with a slotted spoon. Shake off the water, and place the spatzle into a lightly buttered frying pan.

Fry gently for a few minutes.

Serve with sauteed/caramelized onions/mushrooms and/or cheese or gravy as a side dish to meatballs, beef, veal, poultry, etc.

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