Meatballs with pimento peppers and olive tapenade

Ingredients:

Tapenade

• 0.5 cups pitted green olives
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 5 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1.5 tbsp. capers, dried
• 1 small clove of garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Meatballs

• 450 g ground beef (from the neck)
• 1 jar (110 g) pickled pimento peppers, drained and chopped
• 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2.5 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1. Prepare the tapenade:
   
   Soak the olives in warm water for 5 minutes; drain. Combine the olives, parsley, green onions, capers, garlic, mustard, and olive oil in a food processor and pulse a few times.
2. Prepare the meatballs:
   
   Place the ground beef in a large bowl and add 1/4 cup tapenade (reserve the rest for serving). Stir in the pimento, breadcrumbs, egg, and 0.5 teaspoon of salt and mix with your hands, distributing the ingredients evenly. Wet your hands and form into 4 cm meatballs (about 24).
3. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes; remove to a plate. Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, brown sugar, and vinegar and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
4. Return the meatballs to the skillet; reduce the heat to medium and cook, basting occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by half and the meatballs are cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Serve with tapenade.