When Mike Wong’s three children left the nest, moving across the ocean to Northern California, they never had to say goodbye to a favorite dish from their small-kid days.

Wong and his wife, Beverly, a retired University of Hawaii administrator and a retired public school teacher, respectively, spend most of the year rotating among their offsprings’ homes. There they have second careers in baby-sitting grandchildren and stockpiling each kitchen with fresh baked goods (her) and home-cooked meals (him) — including Wong’s beloved meatballs.

The recipe, using three kinds of meat, took Wong nearly a year to develop after enjoying exceptional meatballs during a restaurant meal.

“I asked about it and was told they used veal,” he said.

Inspired by that piece of knowledge, Wong devised a recipe that mixes ground veal with ground beef and Italian sausage. He sometimes uses ground pork in place of one of the other meats or makes do with just two kinds. “It’s flexible. It depends on what I can find at the market. But the veal makes it taste great,” he said.

Veal, plus the addition of mirepoix, that is. Though an unlikely meatball ingredient, the classic trio of sauteed onions, carrots and celery adds texture, sweetness and dimension to the otherwise meaty mixture.

Using a light touch, Wong mixes the meats and veggies with Parmesan and binders, then forms golf ball-size orbs. He bakes them for half of their cooking time, then adds them to a pot of bottled pasta sauce to finish the process. That way, he said, the sauce takes on some of the meaty flavor as well. (A tip for extra-tasty sauce: Wong “rinses” the bottles with about 1/2 cup of red wine, which he adds to the pot.)

“Baking is good because a lot of oil comes off of them, so there’s no need to drain them afterward. And there’s no need to turn them in the oven. This is a really simple dish,” he said. “When I make this for my family, I normally triple the recipe. I use 10 pounds of meat. When you bake something, it’s all the same whether you bake a little or a lot, so you might as well make plenty.”

Easy and efficient is important because Wong likes to stock each home’s freezer with meatballs. That way, his busy children can take some out in the morning to thaw in the fridge. When they return home after a long day, they simply need to microwave the tasty morsels and boil some pasta. It’s no wonder his family’s love affair with these meatballs has stood the test of time.

In my own attempt at the meatballs, the most difficult thing was finding ground veal. Wong accesses a regular supply at the Manoa Safeway. But if you don’t shop there, take my advice: Call ahead. I learned the hard way.

Executing the recipe was mostly easy. Making it delicious took no effort on my part — Wong was spot-on with the combo of veal and sausage. Mixing with a light hand was more tricky as some of my veal was partially frozen. The result was a serviceable texture but far from broke-da-mouth tender the way Wong delivers them. Light handling makes a marked difference.

For Wong’s family, however, it’s more than his skill that makes his food so satisfying. Throughout their lives, cooking time meant quality time with Dad.

“I enjoy cooking. I find it relaxing,” he said. “All the years the kids were growing up, I would prep and cook and talk story with them. In fact, we had an island built in the kitchen so they could hang around while I cooked. Even now at their houses, we talk around the counter as we’re cooking.”

Mike Wong’s Meatballs

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium round onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs or four slices bread with crust removed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 pound ground veal
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 (24-ounce) bottles pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In pan over medium heat, add oil and saute onions, celery and carrots until soft. Set aside to cool.

Combine vegetables with breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan and egg; mix thoroughly. Add meats, salt and pepper, and using your fingers, combine very lightly.

Using your hands, form mixture into 2-inch meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large pot, heat pasta sauce until it begins to bubble. Use wine to rinse bottles and pour into sauce. When meatballs come out of the oven, add to sauce. Cover and simmer on low 30 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

Serve hot with pasta and add more grated Parmesan if necessary. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including pasta or extra Parmesan and based on three 24-ounce marinara sauce bottles): 550 calories, 30 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 100 mg cholesterol, greater than 2,300 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 16 g sugar, 40 g protein.

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Mike’s 30-Minute Pasta

Wong also shared a recipe for what he calls 30-Minute Pasta, meant to be a companion to his popular meatballs. But it’s a dish in its own right, fortified with mirepoix, Italian sausage and a creamy tomato sauce. It’s a nicely balanced dish, bright and creamy without being overly acidic or heavy. Timed properly, it can be ready just when the meatballs are finished.

• 1 (1-pound) box pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 cup half-and-half
• Red chili flakes, to taste (optional)
• 1 cup pasta water
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

In large pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Saute onions, carrots and celery; cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sausage and break into small pieces; brown.

Reduce heat to low, then stir in tomato paste and cook about 2 minutes. Add half-and-half and chili flakes if using; simmer 10 minutes.

Mix in cooked pasta and let sit 5 minutes. Add reserved pasta water to give it a nice consistency. Add half of Parmesan and toss. Sprinkle with more cheese before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

Optional add-ins: Summer squash, zucchini, spinach, kale, peas or any other vegetable, added while sauteing. For a fuller-bodied flavor, add wine to the pan when making the sauce.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 8 servings): 460 calories, 15 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 54 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 27 g protein.

Is there a cooking technique you’d like explained? Email food editor Joleen Oshiro, joshiro@staradvertiser.com. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.