The Meatball Shop Cookbook

“This cookbook, based on Michael and Daniel’s successful Meatball Shop restaurant, is comforting and full of life. Written in an easygoing voice that is fun and inspiring, it reflects America’s love affair with meatballs and now makes them accessible to everyone.”—Scott Conant, chef and owner of Scarpetta restaurants, TV personality
 
The Meatball Shop has quickly grown into a New York City dining destination. Food lovers from around the city and beyond are heading down to Manhattan’s Lower East Side for a taste of this breakout comfort food phenomenon. In this fun and satisfying cookbook, chef Daniel Holzman and general manager Michael “Meatball Mike” Chernow open up their vault of secrets and share nearly 100 recipes—from such tried-and-true favorites as traditional Bolognese Meatballs and Mediterranean Lamb Balls to more adventurous creations like their spicy Mini-Buffalo Chicken Balls and Jambalaya Balls.

Accompanying the more than twenty meatball variations are recipes for close to a dozen delectable sauces, offering endless options to mix and match: from Spicy Meat to Parmesan Cream to Mango Raisin Chutney. And what would a meatball meal be without succulent sides and simple salads to round out the menu: Creamy Polenta, Honey Roasted Carrots, and Marinated Grilled Eggplant, just to name a few. You’ll also find helpful tips on everything from choosing the best cuts of meat to creating the perfect breadcrumbs to building the ultimate hero sandwich.

There may not be a Meatball Shop near you—yet—but there’s a meatball for everyone (and lots more) in this crowd-pleasing cookbook that will have them lining up outside your kitchen.

“Daniel and Michael have built a business that is truly special, and this book is an accurate reflection of the kind of guys they are. Finally a book about balls written by two guys who have a big enough pair to impress even me.”—Andrew Zimmern, chef, author, and host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods

Daniel Holzman is executive chef at The Meatball Shop. He is an alum of Le Bernardin, San Francisco’s Fifth Floor, and Aqua, among other highly acclaimed restaurants. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he received a full scholarship from The James Beard Foundation.

Michael Chernow runs the front-of-house operations and the beverage program at The Meatball Shop. He has worked extensively in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, where he earned degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. He and Holzman met as teenagers when they worked together as delivery boys at the New York vegan restaurant Candle Cafe. Needless to say, the vegan thing didn’t really stick.

Lauren Deen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cook Yourself Thin series and Kitchen Playdates. She is an Emmy and James Beard award–winning television producer and director. She is currently executive producer of food(ography) on the Cooking Channel.