Recipe: A bowl of meatballs to warm you up

ST Brigid’s Day on February 1 was the first official day of Spring, but someone needs to tell the weather this!

With the wind and rain we’ve been having the last few weeks, it’s still pretty wintry out there. We’re a long way from daffodils bobbing happily in a spring breeze, that’s for sure.

When the rain buckets and the mercury plummets, the only thing to do is warm yourself up with a big bowl of meatballs! Which is exactly what I did recently.

I’ve featured meatballs in this column on a few occasions. They’re a versatile meal which can take on many guises. This time, I’ve done a down to earth little meatball stew with baby potatoes stirred in at the end to soak up the juices. Really simple to make but very satisfying to eat!

The addition of green beans to the meatballs as they simmer makes this a meal in one. All you need is some good minced beef, with a little fat so the meatballs are moist. And if you’re in lockdown with bored kids, get them rolling! Something to keep them occupied and makes lighter work for the person doing the dinner.

MEATBALLS AND SPUDS

500g best minced beef 

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely crushed

 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley 

2 tsp fresh thyme 

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

400g can chopped tomatoes 

300mls beef stock 

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

750g baby potatoes 

100g green beans, trimmed 

Method:

• Mix the beef with garlic and parsley in a bowl. Season.
• Bring mix together with hands to bind. Nip off chunks and roll into even sized balls.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the meatballs till nicely browned all over.
• Pour over chopped tomatoes and add beef stock. Season Bring to bubbling and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
• While the meatballs are cooking, boil the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted water till just tender.
• Drain potatoes and add to the meatballs in the pan. Add the green beans and simmer for another few minutes till the beans are tender.
• Serve in warmed bowls.