Bobby Flay's Throwdown! (19 page)

5.
Add the meatballs to the sauce, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the meatballs have cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.

6.
To serve,
put the spaghetti on a platter and top with the meatballs (use a slotted spoon). Stir the chopped basil into the tomato sauce, and ladle some of the sauce over the spaghetti and meatballs. Top with lots of Parmesan and garnish with basil.

SERVES 4

1.
To make the meatballs,
preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.

2.
Mix the beef, cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, herbs, onion, garlic, and salt in a mixing bowl.

3.
Roll the meatballs loosely about the size of a large golf ball, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through and lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes.

4.
To make the sauce,
heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the garlic and onion, and cook until soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and stir. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil.

5.
Add the meatballs to the sauce.

6.
To serve,
divide the spaghetti among 4 plates, and top with the meatballs and the sauce.

Demo version limitation

Names: Norma and Irma Paz
Establishment: Las Paletas Gourmet Popsicles
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Website:
www.wheresthesign.com
Phone: (615) 386-2101

I headed to Nashville, Tennessee, to learn about the world of
paletas
(that’s “ice pops” in Spanish) and to see them made by the masters, Norma and Irma Paz.

Sisters Norma and Irma grew up in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, where ice pops are a part of the daily diet. Not your standard popsicle, these ice pops aren’t fruit flavored, they
are
fruit! The outstanding local produce is blended and frozen into flavor-packed, refreshingly cool icy treats, perfect for the hot climate. Watching the Nashville marathon a few years back, Norma and Irma thought back to their childhood days and realized how perfect those healthy ice pops would be to cool down the exhausted runners. Why not introduce their favorite childhood treat to the residents of Nashville? Before Norma and Irma could bring their ice pops stateside, they’d have to learn how to make them. Finding a
paleta
mentor wasn’t easy, as women making ice pops was practically unheard of in their native Guadalajara. But they persevered and finally found the right person who was willing to pass on the technique to them. And now Las Paletas has more than a hundred fantastic ice pop flavors. The one I’ll have to face? A super-fresh pineapple, lime, salt, and chile pop.

My mission was to come up with a unique ice pop flavor, so I paid a visit to pastry chef Sam Mason. A mad scientist of the kitchen, Sam gave me a quick chemistry lesson on how to achieve the proper consistency and flavor in my ice pops. Armed with my new information, I went to the test kitchen and got to work. I decided on a red wine-pomegranate pop, something akin to frozen sangria, made from reduced red wine, fruit, and pomegranate, orange, and grape juices. Concentrated simple syrup and corn syrup add sweetness and do wonders for the consistency, keeping it smooth and creamy. Before freezing, everything gets refrigerated for the flavors to meld.

It was ice pop weather when we arrived in Nashville, just minutes away from Las Paletas. Norma and Irma were completely surprised, but their southern hospitality immediately kicked in; they even shed a few tears—happy ones, I hope. The crowd’s anticipation was almost “paletaable.” I was flat-out shocked when some of the crowd preferred my ice pops; I know when I have been outdone and have no problem admitting it.

Robin Riddell, of Slow Food Nashville, and Carrington Fox, food critic for
Nashville Scene,
set out to judge our ice pops on their overall taste, texture, and appearance. The liked the tart start and sweet finish to mine and its nice wine flavor, but Norma and Irma’s ice pop got an immediate
“Wow!”
Its salty, spicy notes were totally unexpected. They both loved the pulpy texture of the pineapple and its great fresh pineapple taste. Las Paletas took the win.

The right ice pop won this Throwdown. Norma and Irma’s pops are proof positive that sometimes the simplest things are the best. Their smooth, creamy texture and incredible fruit flavor is unlike any popsicle I have ever eaten.

MAKES 10 TO 12 POPSICLES