Spicy Meatballs with Artichokes
Description
There’s something very satisfying about cooking a complete meal in one dish. Once it’s in the oven, I find I can relax, enjoy a glass of wine, and then I’m really in the mood to sit and savour the meal.
Finely minced pork is ideal for these spicy meatballs as pork has a soft texture and adds a lovely flavour to the rich sauce. Serve this spicy dish with a green salad, if you wish.
Method
Preheat oven to 190°C. Put the minced meat into a mixing bowl.
Heat a wide frying pan, add the oil and then add the onions as well as the cumin and coriander, and the paprika. Cook gently, stirring constantly until the onion is golden and the spices give off strong aromas. Add the spinach, allow it to wilt and then turn up the heat to drive out any excess water.
Tip the mixture onto the minced meat. Add the coriander, breadcrumbs, egg and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together well with your hands, squeezing and blending. Form balls of meat, slightly larger than golf balls and then toss these in flour. Add more oil to the frying pan (there’s no need to clean it out unless you’ve burned the spices and onion) and brown the meatballs in batches of about eight. As they are browned, place meatballs in a shallow ovenproof dish along with the artichoke hearts.
When all the meatballs have been transferred, cook the potatoes gently in the frying pan for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add flour and scrape up the meat drippings. Cook for a further two minutes, then add the tomato purée and stir in. Add the stock, a little at a time, and bring to a simmer. Pour the thickened sauce and potatoes over the meatballs and artichokes. Cover with foil, place in the oven and cook for at least half an hour. Sprinkle some extra coriander over the top and serve with green salad.