Red devil cocktail meatballs in gochujang glaze

Blend the ground beef and ground pork together with a fork in a mixing bowl before adding anything else, to avoid overmixing later.

Add the egg, a splash of milk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, a little cayenne and the breadcrumbs; mix with the fork until evenly combined.

Pat down, cover with plastic and chill about 30 minutes if possible (optional).

With wet fingers, scoop portions (a tablespoon or a small sorbet scoop) onto a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet; about 30 to 32.

Roll into smooth balls with wet hands (optional).

Bake in the center of a 475 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bottoms sizzle and they brown; can be done a day ahead.

Sauce: combine gochujang, seasoned rice vinegar, a touch of soy sauce, a squeeze of 'Shirata', maple syrup and a splash of water.

Bring to a simmer on medium-high, stir, reduce to medium and cook a minute or two until slightly thickened.

Add the meatballs and stir to coat; heat through while the sauce reduces to a glaze, adding water if it dries or raising the heat if it is thin.

Shake the pan to settle the meatballs, wipe the sides with a wet paper towel, and garnish with white and black sesame seeds; serve with toothpicks.