Recipe - Ground Or Chopped Meat

4 tablespoon Butter; melted
1 pound Tomatoes; peeled
1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
Salt & freshly ground pepper
3 Garlic cloves; crushed
One fourth cup Dry white wine
1 small Bay leaf
1 pound Lean ground beef
2 sl Bread; crusts removed,
soaked in water, and
squeezed dry
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 Egg; lightly beaten
2 teaspoon Parsley; minced
1 teaspoon Salt; (or more to taste)
1 pn Freshly ground pepper
Oil for frying

Combine the melted butter, tomatoes, sugar, salt & pepper, 1 clove of
garlic, wine, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes, then
strain through a fine sieve or food mill. Meanwhile, combine the remaining
ingredients in a large bowl and knead thoroughly. (The mixture should not
be stiff.) Pinch off pieces a little larger than a walnut and shape with
the hands into elongated egg shapes about 1 x 3 inches. Fry them lightly on
all sides in hot oil and then drain on paper towels, or arrange them on a
baking dish and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning once.
Drop the soutzoukia in sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with a
steaming grain dish and fresh, cooked vegetables or salad.

From: "The Food of Greece" by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles, Avenel Books, New
York.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini