Tuna meatballs with caramelized onions, Traditional and Thermomix recipe.
A sure hit as an appetizer, but also a second course that will leave everyone speechless.
Today I will propose both the classic cooking method and the Thermomix version, which you will find at the end of the recipe.
Imagine an explosion of flavors in your mouth, the freshness and sweetness of the red onion from Tropea combined with the sweet and sour of the balsamic vinegar, and the body of the tuna meatballs.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 463.63 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 40.38 (g) of which sugars 12.18 (g)
- Proteins 24.08 (g)
- Fat 23.48 (g) of which saturated 5.56 (g)of which unsaturated 5.41 (g)
- Fibers 2.89 (g)
- Sodium 436.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Tuna Meatballs with Caramelized Onions
- 10 oz tuna (fresh in steaks)
- 1 egg
- 5 oz breadcrumbs (Sicilian seasoned)
- 3 tbssps extra virgin olive oil
- A few as needed water
- as needed pepper
- as needed salt
- 1.5 tbssps extra virgin olive oil
- 1.1 lbs Tropea red onion (sliced 0.4 inches thick)
- 2 tsps brown sugar (or 1 tsp sweetener)
- 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- 10 leaves mint
Tuna Meatballs with Caramelized Onions
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Chopper
- 1 Bowl
- 2 Pans
- 1 Plate serving
Preparations for Both Cooking Methods
Let’s go to the kitchen
Slice the onions very finely, then put them in a pan together with the sugar or sweetener and the vinegar. Cook for about 10 minutes, then stir. If they have dried too much, you can add a small cup of water.
Continue cooking until they have softened.
Have your fishmonger cut tuna steaks, remove their skin and bones.
Then chop it finely with a knife or with a chopper, but not too fine otherwise the meatballs will be stringy.
Put the chopped tuna in a wide bowl, with the eggs, Sicilian seasoned breadcrumbs, pepper, and salt, and mix. If the mixture seems a bit stringy to you, you can add a few tablespoons of water and oil.
At this point, moisten your hands and make the meatballs, which should be at most 0.8 inches in circumference.
Now add some extra virgin olive oil to a pan and fry the meatballs, about 1 minute per side. Once cooked, drain the excess oil.
Then put them in the pan with the caramelized onions. Stir gently for 2 minutes over the heat, then arrange the tuna meatballs with caramelized onions on a serving plate, add a few mint leaves here and there, then let them cool slightly and serve.
Put the extra virgin olive oil and onions in the bowl, set High temperature for 15 min
Add the water, sugar or sweetener, and salt, gather to the bottom of the bowl and cook: 6 min./250°F/reverse/spoon speed.
Add the balsamic vinegar, place the splash guard instead of the measuring cup, and cook for 2 min at 250°F reverse spoon speed.
Then pour the caramelized onions into a baking dish, then wash and dry the bowl.
Prepare the Sicilian seasoned breadcrumbs as per recipe
Cut the tuna steaks into pieces and chop for 10 sec. speed 5. Then repeat the operation until you get the ideal consistency as if it were minced meat. Gather with the spatula.
Now add the egg, Sicilian seasoned breadcrumbs and mix for 1 minute reverse speed 4. Gather with the spatula. If the mixture seems a bit stringy to you, you can add a few tablespoons of water and oil.
At this point, moisten your hands and make the meatballs, which should be at most 0.8 inches in circumference.
Now decide if you want to cook them in a pan or the Varoma. Add some extra virgin olive oil to a pan and fry the meatballs, about 1 minute per side.
Once cooked, drain the excess oil. If you want to cook them in the Varoma, wash the bowl and pour 500 g of water inside. Place the meatballs between the Varoma and its tray, and cook for 20 min. Varoma temperature speed 1.
At the end of cooking, combine the meatballs with the caramelized onions in the baking dish or on a serving plate. Add a few mint leaves here and there, then let them cool slightly and serve.
Tuna Meatballs with Caramelized Onions
They can be served either hot or cold.
The dish can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and, if the fish was not previously frozen, you can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Tuna can be replaced with any type of fish, ideal is bluefish.
If you want to further enrich the dish, you can add previously toasted almond granules.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I enrich the caramelized onions?
Yes, I have the recipe for Eolian style caramelized onions, click here
