This month I am concentrating on recipes that use up the #chametz left in the store cupboard prior to #Passover. Thankfully (I think?) #Pesach is early this year and the weather is cold enough to warrant the extra insulating properties of dishes made with pulses, pasta, rice and barley. It's so very cold and slippery out there this week that I am turning more toward my store cupboard ingredients in the vain hope that I don't have to brave the snow and supermarket queues.
This recipe is an exceedingly tasty way to use low fat #turkey mince that is equally popular with both adults and children. Some people are not keen on peppers as they find them indigestible; if you fall into that camp then the meatballs are just as good served with a chunky tomato sauce.
I make a double batch of the red pepper sauce as it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week.
We have these patties stuffed into warm pitta bread with some salad and either hummus or babaganoush or tehina. I have also made them into larger burger shapes and griddled or barbecued them when we have company that doesn't eat red meat.
I often use a shortcut of chopping the spring onion, garlic and parsley in an electric food mill on the pulse setting.
I like to line the baking sheet with parchment for easy clean up too.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE PATTIES:
100g Sweetcorn kernels
3 slices stale white bread - crusts removed
500g minced turkey
1 large egg
4 spring onions - finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
2 -3 teaspoons ground cumin
salt
freshly milled black pepper
1 garlic clove crushed
oil for frying
Heat the oven to 200c/gas mark 5.
Heat a large heavy non stick frying pan over medium heat and chuck in the drained sweetcorn. Stir fry the kernels for about 2-3 minutes until toasted and lightly charred.
Tip the corn onto a plate and allow to cool.
Dip the bread slices in water for a minute and squeeze out the water and crumble it into a large bowl.
Add all the other ingredients except the oil and combine.
I find it easier to wet or oil my hands so that the mixture doesn't stick so much.
Keep a bit of torn off kitchen towel to hand so that you can turn on the kitchen tap without smearing them with meatball mix!
Put about 5mm (1/2 inch) of oil into a frying pan over a medium heat. Wet your hands and shape the mix into golf ball sized meatballs and flatten them .Fry them in small batches until golden brown; transferring them to a parchment lined baking sheet when they are done.
Put the patties in a hot oven for 5-8 minutes until cooked through.
INGREDIENTS FOR ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
4 red peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
25g bunch of coriander
1 garlic clove
1 small mild chili - deseeded
1-2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1-2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
Preheat the oven to 200c/gas mark 5.
Quarter, core and de-seed the peppers. Put the peppers on a heavy baking sheet and toss them about with two tablespoons of the oil and half a teaspoon of the salt. Roast them for about 35 minutes until they are soft.Pour the peppers and their juices into a Pyrex bowl and cover with cling film. Some people find the skins very indigestible so when they are cool enough to handle you can remove the skin although it is not necessary.Put the peppers and their juices with all the remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you are feeling ultra lazy you can use bottled red peppers but cut down on the vinegar as they are not quite as sweet as home roasted ones.