G F Friendly
Crispy Meatballs
crumbed fried meatballs on a bed of tangy tomato sauce
This is my version of these popular, easy-to-make meatballs. The meat mince can be any you fancy; and I daresay a vegetarian alternative could be made using a meat substitute, or just plain vegies. The sauce was an experiment and turned out pretty good. For those who aren't fans of tomato, maybe try a white roux, or a mushroom and onion sauce.
Meatballs
400g pork (or alternative) mince
½ onion, chopped fine
1 small stick celery, chopped fine
1 Tbsp rice flour (or plain flour)
1 Tbsp rice crumbs (or fine breadcrumbs)
1 tsp minced ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chicken stock powder
1 egg
¼ cup Polenta (maize meal) or fine breadcrumbs
Olive oil for shallow frying - no more than 1 cm deep
Tomato Sauce
50g pork mince
½ onion, chopped fine
¼ capsicum, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 400g can diced tomatoes
½ tsp salt (optional)
1 Tbsp cream sherry
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp rice syrup (or honey)
Put the Polenta in a dish and keep a small tray lined with baking paper handy. In a medium sized bowl, combine the meatball ingredients well. Form by hand into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball. Roll each in the Polenta to coat, then place on the lined tray, keeping them separated. Rest these in the fridge for an hour or two.
The sauce can be prepared now, if you like. Over a medium heat, warm the oil in a sauce pan, then add the garlic and stir for a minute. Put in the onion and capsicum and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in the sherry, add the meat mince and cook for a further 3 minutes while breaking up the lumps. Finally, pop in the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Bring the sauce to the boil, then turn down to simmer. Stir occasionally until reduced by about half, but don't let it dry out. It can then be turned off, covered and be ready for re-heating just before serving. More water may need to be added at this time.
A frypan's okay to cook the meatballs, but I prefer a wok - it uses less oil. Heat the oil and fry the meatballs in batches, turning them frequently and carefully with tongs until they are golden brown. Place on a lined tray in the oven to keep warm while re-heating the sauce. Serve on a bed of sauce with your choice of vegetables and rice if you fancy.
Serves 4 Freezes well, but make sure the meatballs are re-heated properly after thawing.
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