Recipes with meatballs for busy days

The last week in the post about Spaghetti meatballs vs Chorizo pasta I was speaking about how great and tasty is comfort food for the whole family.
Well this week I have been very busy  with external works, trips and meeting in London that barely I had time for blogging but also I have even less time to cook, so I needed to help me out my meatballs leftover from the spaghetti meatballs  of the last week

Asian Broth Meatballs

After a long meeting in a more than ever foggy and misty London city I walked back through China Town, the Asian flavours set in my mind all the train journey to Brighton so when arrived at home only one things was for sure I needed an Asian broth for recover from my day. With some of pork mince leftovers I made more meatballs.

You need:  250g lean pork mince for 10 meatballs – 6 spring onions (3 finely chopped) – 1 tsp grated ginger – 2cm ginger (peeled and sliced) – 1 red chilli (1/2 finely chopped) – 1tbsp of breadcrumbs – 1 litre meat stock , 2 star anise, 100g kale (shredded and remove the woody bites) – Splash of soy sauce – splash of sesame oil

1. For the meatballs in a big bowl mix the meat with the finely chopped spring onions, finely chopped red chilli, breadcrumbs and ½ tsp sesame oil. Season with fresh ground black pepper.
2. Wet your hands with water and start to roll the meat mixture in marble sized balls (about 3-4g each) and deposit the meatballs in the dish with the flour. Lightly coat the meatballs in the flour, and shake any excess.  - Now you can freeze the meatballs that you won’t need-
3. In a wok or a deep pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and brown all over the meatballs. Set aside.
4. In the same pan or wok, add the stock, star anise, sliced ginger and 2 tbsp of soy sauce, simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile slice the rest of the spring onions and the rest of the red chilli.
6. Add the meatballs and kale to the simmering broth and simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat, serve in large bowls and sprinkle over some sliced chilli and spring onions and if you like some extra sesame oil.

Meatballs with pitted olives tomato sauce 

Photo by FotoosVanRobin

Friday morning before  leaving for Chichester (last month I posted East Sussex towns, now is the turn of West Sussex Towns) I remember to defrost my leftovers salami meatballs because I knewt that after exploring Chichester for the whole day I will be looking for real comfort food without much effort in the kitchen.

You need:  10 salami meatballs for 2 serves -  3 sliced garlic -  400g can tomatoes – 3 cloves – 15 pitted green olives (chopped) – 120g tagliatelle or another long pasta. Bunch of shredded basil

1.  Heat a tbsp. of olive oil in a saucepan; add the slices garlic and meatballs, brown all over the meatballs. Then scoop out the meatballs and set aside.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, and the 3 cloves to the saucepan with the garlic and meat juices.. Let simmer for 15 minutes until you have a thick sauce.
3. After the sauce has thickened add the meatballs and the chopped olives, simmer for another 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile start to cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
5. Serve the pasta in individual dishes and top with the meatballs and the sauce, scatter over some shredded basil

Spanish Meatball tapa

Photo by agvnono

With the last handful of meatballs and with what I knew was to be a great Sunday Football match between Real Madrid vs Malaga F.C the town team of one of my best friends I remembered a conversation that we had some time ago with him in a great traditional tapas bar in Segovia. For some reason TV chef celebrities and their books or also in much of the Spanish tapas bar in England they offer like an authentic Spanish tapa meatballs. In Spain the albondigas (meatballs) came from the Arabian times in Andalucía but despite its long history I hardly remember good tapas bars that serve meatballs like a tapa, for sure in Country Basque they have cod meatballs and are in delicatessens.  My friend was agreeing with me, but the local waitress proves us wrong when we just finish the conversation she pops up with a huge meatbals tray full of Arabian flavours.

You need: 16 meatballs for 4 serves – 60g onion (chopped) – 2 tomatoes (peeled, deseeded and chopped) – ½ lemon juice – 2 garlic cloves sliced – Bunch of flat parsley to serve.

1. In a frying pan in a medium heat with a tbsp. of olive oil fry the meatballs, moving around often to brown them well over.  Keep moving for 6-8 minutes.
2. Add the chopped onion and sliced garlic, soften for 3 minutes. 
3. Squeeze some lemon juice into the pan and add the chopped tomatoes, simmer for an extra 3 minutes stirring very often. Season. 
4. Serve in individual little earth ware dishes for an even more traditional Spanish style and sprinkle over the chopped parsley  and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

More

If you are looking for more meatballs ideas, check out this Mint and Mustard Meatballs from Mummy, I can cook! blog

My Spaghetti with salami meatballs recipe

Tomato sauce recipes

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Recipes with meatballs for busy days