Lemony Sweet Clouds of Fire

Serves 12

2 medium eggs

6 tablespoons chicken broth

¼ cup bread crumbs

One 3-ounce package lemon-flavor gelatin mix, such as Jell-O

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

¾ teaspoon salt

¹/₈ teaspoon pepper

1 pound lean ground beef

½ prepared vanilla angel food cake, cut into ½-inch cubes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup chili sauce

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup peach preserves

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1. Preheat oven to 200^o. In a large bowl, combine eggs, chicken broth, bread crumbs, gelatin mix, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix in the ground beef and form around cake pieces into 1-inch meatballs (with cake in center).
2. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add one-third of the meatballs and fry, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate; keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs, adding a tablespoon of oil for each batch.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat chili sauce, cream, peach preserves, lemon peel, and hot pepper sauce just until soft peaks form. Put a heaping half-tablespoon of cream in each of 12 juice glasses or tumblers. Top with 2 meatballs. Spoon another heaping half-teaspoon of cream over the meatballs and top with 2 more meatballs. Repeat the layering until all meatballs have been plated. Spoon remaining cream atop each glass or tumbler evenly; serve.