KEFTEDES WITH PARSLEY AND LEMON SALAD

These Greek-style meatballs normally include potato or breadcrumbs, but I find low-carb turnips work very well instead. I like to serve the meatballs with a lively salad, which uses parsley as an ingredient in its own right.

CARB COUNT: 21g per person

Serves 4 For the keftedes

350g (12oz) good-quality minced beef

350g (12oz) good-quality minced pork

3 large free-range eggs 3tbsp chopped mint

2tsp ground cinnamon 2tsp flaky sea salt

2tsp baking powder 1tsp cracked black pepper 5 turnips (100g/3½oz each), peeled

1 large onion

Olive oil, for cooking

For the salad

2 little gem lettuces, leaves torn from the cores

A bunch of spring onions, trimmed and roughly chopped A large bunch of flat-leaf parsley (about 60g/2¼oz), leaves picked, tough stems discarded Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 1tbsp creamed horseradish

50ml (2fl oz) good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To finish

Pickled green chillies Put the meat, eggs, mint, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and pepper into a bowl. Coarsely grate the turnips and onion, then squeeze in a clean tea towel to remove as much liquid as possible. Add to the bowl and combine.

Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Dampen your hands a little with cold water then divide the mixture into 16 pieces and form each into a meatball. Warm a generous splash of oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs, turning to get an even colour all over. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

While the keftedes are cooking, for the salad, mix the lettuce, spring onions, parsley leaves and lemon zest together in a bowl. Mix the creamed horseradish, lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the salad with this dressing. Serve the keftedes as soon as they’re cooked, with the salad and some pickled green chillies on the side.