Baked Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs

European Firms Call for Tougher EU Approach to China

BRUSSELS—European companies called on European Union policy-makers on Jan. 16 to toughen their approach to China to secure a level playing field for European businesses. BusinessEurope, an organization grouping business federations from 35 countries, said China was the most restrictive of the EU’s major trading partners—with numerous barriers to investment, strict requirements for joint ventures and its procurement market closed to EU firms. “The EU must reconsider its modus operandi towards China and put more emphasis on reciprocity and conditionality,” BusinessEurope said in a report addressed to the European Commission and EU governments. It underlined the disparity in market access between Chinese and foreign firms, financing advantages for Chinese firms in strategic sectors, cheap land and energy, and Beijing’s support for some Chinese industries. The EU is China’s biggest trading…

I like my broccoli charred and crispy, so that’s where this recipe takes you. It is important to make the meatballs uniform, round and slightly smaller than golf balls so that they cook evenly. Even if they’re not perfect, they will still taste delicious, and, as we all hopefully know, looks don’t really matter.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves 2, 4 for sharing (makes 20 meatballs)

• 14 ounces broccolini, rough stems trimmed and thick pieces cut lengthwise
• 1 organic lemon, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or more, if desired
• 1 large egg
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
• 3/4 cup (6 1/2 ounces) ricotta, drained and lightly salted
• 1/2 cup (1/2 ounce) parsley leaves and fine stems, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup (1 ounce) panko breadcrumbs
• 1 pound ground chicken, preferably dark meat
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Grated Parmesan, for sprinkling (optional)

Efficiency Moves: Prep the broccoli and lemon, then set up the ingredients for the meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with a rack in the middle of the oven.

On a baking tray (sheet pan), toss the broccolini and lemon slices with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread evenly on the baking tray and set aside while you make the meatballs.

Beat the egg in a mixing bowl, then add garlic and ricotta with 1 teaspoon of salt, parsley, pepper, the rest of the oil, breadcrumbs, and meat, and use your hands to gently combine it (too much mushing will make them tough and dry). You should still see pieces of the meat through the seasonings. Lightly wet your hands with water or oil and roll the meat into 20 loose—not tightly packed—rounds, slightly smaller than golf balls, using a gentle rolling motion between your hands (the water is important otherwise they will stick to your hands). Set on large pieces of baking parchment on the counter to make for an easier clean up.

Nestle the meatballs in between the broccolini and lemon. Bake until the meatballs are browned and cooked through and the broccolini is crispy, about 15–20 minutes, shaking the baking tray to move the meatballs and turning the tray around halfway to ensure even cooking. Use this time to clean up and set the table. Have a glass of wine if this stressed you out in any way at all.

Remove from the oven, squeeze lemon juice on top, divide between plates, making sure to eat the lemon rinds too, and finish with grated Parmesan, if using.

Note: Panko aka Japanese breadcrumbs have an airier texture than other breadcrumbs.

Leftover Notes: Throw any leftover meatballs in a broth with greens at the end for a quick soup.

Recipe excerpted with permission from “Keeping It Simple“ by Yasmin Fahr, published by Hardie Grant Books.

This article is from the Internet:Baked Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs

Secretary of the Army: China Faces Newly Strengthened US in Indo-Pacific

WASHINGTON—As the United States works to counter the strategic threat posed by China in the region of the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. Army is taking on a more important role. Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy spoke at the Brookings Institute on Jan. 10 about how the Army is modernizing, expanding, and deepening its commitment and operational abilities in the Indo-Pacific theater of command. The Indo-Pacific, known in the Army as INDOPACOM, is home to the four most-populous countries in the world, as well as three of its largest economies, the United States, China, and Japan, McCarthy said. Critically, the region also holds six of the 10 largest armies in the world, he said. The United States has five treaties in the Indo-Pacific, “all critical for reinforcing the American narrative alternative…