Turkey Meatballs

Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and the mushrooms. Continue to cook on medium heat until the mushrooms are cooked through and have given up some, but not all, of their moisture. Stir in the herbes de Provence. Remove from heat. Place in a bowl to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, place the ground turkey, parsley, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest if using, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, and the cooled mushroom shallot mixture. Using your clean hands gently mix the turkey and other ingredients together until well combined. Don't over mix.

Form the meatballs, 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide, depending on your preference. Smaller meatballs with be easier to serve as a one-bite appetizer, larger meatballs for a main dish. Place the meatballs on a tray.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-low to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the meatballs in the pan, allowing for space around each meatball. Do not crowd the pan; if your pan isn't big enough, cook the meatballs in batches. Gently cook the meatballs until cooked through, turning them frequently so that they get lightly browned on all sides. If meatballs are not browning, increase the burner heat a little.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add the minced onions and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. While the onions and garlic are cooking, pulse the canned tomatoes in their juices in a blender or food processor until chopped, but not completely smooth. Add the tomatoes to the onion-garlic mixture. Cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for a minute to warm the meatballs through. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley to serve.