Marvellous winter meatballs with a dash of warming chilli

Sat, 05 Nov, 2022 - 07:00

Di Curtin

THE official winter season of 2022 has had a wet and wild start!

Weather warnings, torrential rain and high winds have hit most parts of the country since the clocks went back. It has definitely been a week for food that makes you feel warm and comforted!

On that note, I’ve created a warming and comforting supper for the weekend.

Best Irish minced beef makes the most tender meatballs, spiked with chilli flakes for that brush of heat we all need right now.

For the meatballs, I’d recommend buying mince that has some fat content, as this creates moist tenderness and great flavour in the mix.

The sauce for these meatballs is very simple, just good Italian tinned chopped tomatoes and beef stock, with the juices of the meatballs incorporated as they simmer gently.

I’m serving this with linguine, which is similar to spaghetti, but the strands are slightly wider and flat. It’s an elegant pasta to grace a supper table nicely.

This weekend’s dessert is influenced by some of the sweet cake spices we will be using for the Christmas baking.

Freshly grated nutmeg and ground ginger feature in my individual baked custards, which are best left to cool slightly before serving.

If you wish, you can serve a few strawberries from the last of the Irish season on the side, to add colour and a bite of fruity flavour to the subtly spiced creaminess in these custards.

Chilli Meatballs

Ingredients (serves 4) 500g best minced beef 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely crushed 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley Pinch of dried red chilli flakes, to taste 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 400g linguine Method Mix the beef with garlic, parsley and chilli flakes in a bowl. Season.

Bring mix together with hands to bind. Nip off the chunks and roll into even sized balls.

Heat oil in a large non stick pan and fry the meatballs till nicely browned all over.

Pour over chopped tomatoes and add beef stock. Season Bring to bubbling, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.

In the meantime, cook the linguine in a large pan of boiling salted water with a splash of olive oil added till just tender, but still with bite.

Drain pasta and stir through the meatballs and sauce in the pan.

Scatter with extra parsley and serve from the pan into warmed bowls.

Season with extra freshly ground black pepper to finish.

Winter Baked Custards

Ingredients (serves 4) 600ml milk 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 3 tbsp maple syrup Freshly grated nutmeg 1 tsp ground ginger Finely grated zest of a lemon Method Beat milk with eggs and yolks. Stir in maple syrup.

Grate in nutmeg generously. Add ground ginger and lemon zest.

Finish with an extra grating of nutmeg on top of each.

Half fill a roasting tray with warm water.

Pour the mix into four ramekins and sit the ramekins in the water bath.

Place in the oven at Gas 4 180C (160C fan assisted).

Cook for 20 minutes or until cooked, firm to touch, slightly risen but still slightly wobbly in the middle.

Remove from oven and carefully lift out of the water bath.

Cool for a few moments before serving.

WINE MATCH

THIS spicy meatballs dish needs a full bodied red to handle the spices and the rich tomato sauce.

As it’s a pasta dish, I’m looking to Italy to provide the wine.From the Piedmont region of Northern Italy comes Polsino Barbara d’Asti Superiore.

This red is made from the Barbera grape grown prolifically in Asti region, probably better known to most for its sparkling white Asti Spumante. This red grape produces wines full of soft fruit flavours but that have a firm backbone as well as a little herbaceousness. Just what’s needed here for the chilli spiked meatballs and the intense tomato flavours of the sauce. This wine copes with all the characteristics of the dish, creating a perfect food and wine experience for a winter supper!

A great price too, find this at Lidl stores at just €9.99 a bottle from this weekend.

RECEIPT

MEATBALLS

Minced Beef 500g €4.19

Parsley pack €1.20

Dried red chilli flakes 26g 66c

Italian Chopped tomatoes 400g €1.35

Linguine 500g €2.69

Total: €9.89

DESSERT

Milk 1ltr 99c

Eggs half dozen €2.20