Pork and halloumi balls

It is worth letting the balls rest for a while in the fridge after shaping, they are less likely to fall apart during cooking. Turn them carefully in the pan, letting them form a golden crust on the base before moving them. Use a coarse grater for the halloumi, so the cheese melts and seasons the pork as it cooks.

Serves 34

Ingredients

3 spring onions

1 Tbsp and a little more of groundnut oil

2 cloves garlic grated zest of 1 lemon

2 small red chillies

4g dried mint

450g coarsely minced pork

200g halloumi

For the figs:

2 medium onions

2 Tbsp groundnut or olive oil, for frying

1 Tbsp thyme leaves

6 small figs

Method

Cut the spring onions into thin rounds, then cook them in the oil in a shallow pan for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Peel the garlic and crush to a paste, then stir into the spring onions. Add the grated zest and a generous grinding of salt and pepper. Finely chop the chillies, then add to the onions and mint and remove from the heat.

Add the minced pork to the seasonings. Coarsely grate the halloumi, then add to the mixture and mix well. Shape the mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball and put in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Warm the oil in a shallow nonstick pan, add some of the pork balls and let them colour one side then gently roll them and brown the other. Move the balls around from time to time to brown evenly, then transfer to an ovenproof dish. Repeat with the rest of the balls.

Preheat the oven to 180degC. Peel and finely chop the onions, then add to the vacated pan, with a little more oil if necessary, and fry them for 1012 minutes until they are starting to soften. Roughly chop the thyme, then add to the onions, then roughly chop the figs and also add them. Return the balls to the pan, setting them among the onions and figs, cover with a lid and bake for 30 minutes. Spoon into bowls.