Mini Buffalo Chicken Balls

The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow
With Lauren Deen, published by Ballentine Books, $28.00

Makes about forty 3/4-inch meatballs

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup Frank’s Redhot Sauce or any other favorite hot sauce
• 1 pound ground chicken, preferable thigh meat
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 celery stalk, minced
• 3/4 cup brad crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Drizzle the vegetable oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat, whisking until the butter is melted and fully incorporated.  Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Combine the hot sauce mixture, ground chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, 3/4-inch balls, making sure to pack the meat firmly.  Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.  The meatballs should be touching one another.

Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through,.  A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165 degrees.
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
Serve with Blue Cheese Dressing.

Blue Cheese Dressing
Makes 2 cups

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Place sour cream, blue cheese, milk, mayonnaise, salt and vinegar in a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly until completely combined.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired.