Prawn Balls
MAKES 55
INGREDIENTS
1kg peeled raw and prawns, deveined
1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp sugar
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1 fresh red chilli, finely diced
1 spring onion, finely diced
30g (1 small bunch) coriander, leaves picked and chopped
Juice of ½ small lime 2 tbsp ice-cold water
Dry breadcrumbs as required)
80ml vegetable oil, if frying
METHOD
1 Gently pulse all the ingredients (except the breadcrumbs and vegetable oil) in a food processor. Do not overwork. Remove the mixture from the processor and set aside in a bowl in the refrigerator
2 to cool for at least 1 hour. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and gently roll into 20g balls. If the mixture is too runny or sticky to roll into balls, introduce some breadcrumbs and stir them through the mixture until you can
3 start to shape them into balls. Heat up the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the prawn balls, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. You can do this in stages. Constantly move the pan in a circling motion. This will help the balls cook evenly. Do this for around 6 minutes or until golden on all sides.
4 Alternatively, you can cook the prawn balls on a grill or barbecue, set to high heat, for 6 minutes. It won’t be possible to maintain perfectly round balls using this method, but you’ll be able to create beautiful scorch marks on the sides of the prawn balls, which will add another
5 interesting texture. For a softer, more delicate finish, place the balls over boiling water in a steam basket for around 8-10 minutes until cooked. Serve prawn balls while hot.
TIP These tasty prawn balls are surprisingly light and are perfect for cooking on the barbecue or on a hot grill. They can be served on a stick and dipped in sauce or they can accompany a fresh salad. They’re also perfect as an entrée or canapé.
INGREDIENTS
250g roasting potatoes, cut into small chunks
4 garlic cloves 1 tbsp chopped rosemary 1 onion, sliced Olive oil
1 tbsp juniper berries
1 tbsp coriander seeds
750g minced (ground) lamb
25g finely grated parmesan
2½ tbsp dry breadcrumbs
1 egg
Olive oil spray, for baking
METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C.
In a roasting tray, place the potatoes, garlic, rosemary and onion, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the potatoes are
2 cooked (about 1½ hours). Remove tray from the oven, place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash the mix with a fork before setting aside
3 to cool. Toast the juniper berries and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat until they begin to give off a lovely aroma (but before they take on any colour). This will take approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove them from the pan and grind them down in a mortar
4 and pestle. Season the minced lamb with salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled potatoes, ground juniper and coriander, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and egg,
5 and combine. Add a small ovenproof saucer of water to the back of the
6 oven to create humidity.
Using your hands, gently roll
7 the mixture into 60g balls. Spray a baking tray with olive oil and carefully place the meatballs in the tray. Bake in the humid oven for 12 minutes. Serve immediately.
TIP Like a traditional Sunday roast, these meatballs combine some classic ingredients to create a wonderfully nostalgic meatball experience.