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Home / Eat Well / Recipes

Pork meatballs with vegetables and cannellini beans

for 6 people

Tam West

Ray McVinnie
By
Ray McVinnie

Chef and food writer

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This freezes and reheats well but add some water as the beans thicken the sauce.

Ingredients

¾ cupFresh breadcrumbs, made by whizzing torn up bread in a blender or food processor
¼ cupDry white wine
500 gMinced pork (Main)
1 TbspFinely chopped rosemary leaves
½ tspSalt
3 largeGarlic cloves, finely chopped
1 TbspSugar
¼ cupKalamata olives, chopped and pitted
½ Preserved lemons, use peel only, finely diced (or use the zest of a fresh lemon) (Main)
1 sprinkleFlour, for dusting
8 TbspExtra virgin olive oil
1Onion, finely chopped
2Carrots, 300g, peeled and diced 1cm
2 sticksCelery, thinly sliced
500 mlChicken stock
2 cansCannellini beans, 400g each, drained (Main)
½ cupFrozen peas, thawed
120 gBaby spinach, wilted in boiling water, cooled under cold water, squeezed dry, lumps teased out

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 200C.
  2. Place the breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl and add the wine. Mix well so the crumbs soak up the wine. Add the pork, rosemary, salt, garlic, sugar, olives and preserved lemon or zest. Mix well with clean hands and form into 18 golf ball-sized, slightly flattened meatballs. (I weigh it and divide by 18 and make one to see the size I am aiming at.) Dust the meatballs lightly with flour.
  3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a wide metal casserole or deep frying pan over moderate heat. Fry the meatballs on each side until lightly browned. Remove to a plate.
  4. Pour off used oil and replace with the remaining 4 tablespoons. Add the onion, carrot and celery and fry gently without browning for 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
  5. Add the reserved meatballs, the stock and beans. Mix well, boil, cover and place in the oven for 40 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven, stir in the peas and spinach, taste, season, let stand five minutes then serve. Good with crusty sourdough bread.

More of Ray's autumn casseroles

  • Tofu braised with greens
  • Spicy chicken with tomatoes and green beans
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