JP Food: Black Pudding Meatballs

While I appreciate the thought of black pudding can turn a lot of people off, let me assure you that these meatballs are an instant spark of joy and are too good to be missed out on merely because of a fear of black pudding.

This recipe makes up a huge batch of meatballs, great for batch cooking; to have a stash tucked away in the freezer to call upon when you need something a quick and delicious supper.

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce

800g tomato Passata or two cans of chopped tomatoes

200ml of cold water

I large onion finely chopped

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

3 tablespoons of finely chopped flat leaf parsley

2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons of sea salt flakes

1 tablespoon of tomato puree

1 beef stock cube

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

Freshly ground black pepper

Meatballs

500g round steak minced beef

250g black pudding

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

3 tablespoons of finely chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons of chopped chives – finely chopped

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

2 teaspoons of sea salt flakes

¼ teaspoon of dried chilli flakes

2 tablespoons of porridge oats

2 large eggs at room temperature

Good grinding of black pepper

Method:

1. Take the minced beef and black pudding out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.

2. To make the sauce, place some oil about a tablespoon into a large heavy based casserole dish and pop in the chopped onions, garlic powder and dried thyme and mix together and cook on a medium heat for about 15 minutes.

3. When the onion are ready, add the tomatoes and add the 200ml of water. Stir on the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and salt then turn up the heat to bring to the boil. once boiling turn down the heat and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. To make the meatballs combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl – best to use your hands for this to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

5. Tear off walnut sized pieces of the mixture and between the palms of your hands roll into meatballs and place on a baking sheet – you should get about 36 – 40 small meatballs.

6. Drop the meatballs into the sauce easing them in gently, trying to get each meatball covered in sauce and bring to a gentle bubble – then clamp on a lid and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

7. Then remove the lid and allow to simmer for another 15 minutes by which time the meatballs will be cooked through and the sauce intensely divine.

8. Ladle into bowls and serve with the accompaniment of your choice.

This is a new recipe I’ve slightly adapted from Nigella Lawson.

I previously tweeted her with the results to compliment how delicious they were to which I am chuffed to say she responded to!

I will be making these over and over again – they taste even better I’ve found a day or two after making them.