Lamb & dried sour cherry meatballs braised with tomatoes & spices
SERVES 3-4 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
100g dried sour cherries
½ cup (125ml) verjuice
2 slices stale sourdough bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks
250g lamb mince
250g pork mince
2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, chopped coarsely 1 free-range egg yolk
⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 large (200g) red onion, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 x 400g cans whole tomatoes
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped coarsely
1 Place the dried cherries in a small, microwavesafe bowl, along with the verjuice, and heat in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds, then set aside to steep.
2 Process the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form.
3 Place the lamb and pork mince into a large bowl; add the breadcrumbs, rosemary, drained cherries (reserving the verjuice) and egg yolk; season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well, then roll about 2 tablespoons of mixture into meatballs.
4 Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add half the olive oil and gently fry off the meatballs for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown; remove, set aside and keep warm.
5 In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil over a low heat, then add the onion and garlic; fry gently for 10 minutes or until soft, then add the cumin, coriander and turmeric; cook for a further 2 minutes.
6 Turn the heat up to medium and deglaze the pan with the reserved verjuice. Reduce by half, then add the tomatoes and chicken stock. Season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper; cook gently for 15 minutes, then break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
7 Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and stir carefully to cover; braise gently, covered loosely, for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
8 Arrange on large platter, sprinkle with parsley and serve with grilled bread and fresh rocket leaves. Suitable to freeze.