you’llneedtogivethema head
start– youcanreheatat
200°C/180°Cfanfor40–50
minutes.Makesurethestewis
pipinghotbeforeyouserveit.
Blackpudding
meatballs
SERVES4–6(OR1 PERSON4–6TIMES)
Thequantitiesbelow
makefora bigoldbatchof
blackpuddingmeatballs,
simplybecausetheyare
oneofmyabsolutefavourite
thingstoeat– aninstant
sparkerofjoy.I honestly
feelsomuchbetterabout
lifeknowingthere’salways
a containerorthreeofthem
inthefreezer.I thrillat
theirdeepgloriousness
everytimeI eatthem.
MAKE
AHEADPreparesauceupto 3
daysahead,coverand
refrigerateorfreeze
asbelow.Formmeatballsup
to1 dayaheadusingminceand
blackpuddingstraightfrom
fridge.Refrigerateonbaking
sheets,coveredlooselywith
foodwrap.Removefromfridge
1 hourbeforecooking.Reheat
sauceinlargesaucepanuntil
justboiling,thenreducetoa
simmerandaddmeatballs.
STORE
Refrigerate leftovers,
covered, for up to
3 days. Reheat gently
in saucepan until piping hot.
FREEZE
Freeze leftover cooked
meatballs in sauce in
an airtight container
for up to 3 months. Defrost
overnight in fridge and reheat
as above. Freeze sauce on its
own in airtight container for up
to 3 months. Defrost overnight
in fridge.
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
- 400ml cold water
- 2 onions (approx 300g)
- 45g beef dripping or 3 x 15ml
tablespoons olive oil - 2 fat cloves of garlic
- 3 x 15ml tablespoons finely
chopped flatleaf parsley - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 x 400g tins of chopped
tomatoes - 1 x 15ml tablespoon
tomato purée - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
sauce (gluten-free if
necessary) - 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
(or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt)
- 3 x 15ml tablespoons finely
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 500g minced beef (not low fat)
- 250g black pudding (gluten-
free if necessary) - 2 fat cloves of garlic
- 3 x 15ml tablespoons finely
chopped parsley, plus more
to serve - 2 x 15ml tablespoons finely
chopped chives, plus more
to serve - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
(or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt) - A very good grinding of pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- 2 x 15ml tablespoons
porridge oats (not jumbo;
gluten-free if necessary) - 2 large eggs, at room
temperature
1 Take the minced beef and
black pudding out of the fridge
so they lose their chill while
you get on with the sauce.
Pour 400ml of cold water into
a measuring jug and put it by
the stove in readiness.
2 To make the sauce, peel and
roughly chop the onions. Melt
your dripping or warm the oil in
a large heavy-based casserole- I use one of 26cm diameter –
then add the onion and cook
over medium heat, stirring
every now and then, for about
15 minutes, or until beginning
to soften and get golden in
parts. If you want to do this for
longer on low heat, do, after
you’ve given them a 5-minute
start on medium.
3 While the onions are cooking,
peel the garlic and finely chop
3 tablespoons’ worth of parsley.
When the onions are ready, stir
in the dried thyme and chopped
parsley, and mince or grate in
the garlic. Add the tomatoes,
swilling out the empty tins with
the water in your jug before
pouring it into the pan.
4 Stir in the tomato purée,
Worcestershire sauce and salt
and then turn up the heat to
bring to the boil. Once boiling,
turn down the heat a little and
leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
5 Meanwhile, make the
meatballs. Loosen the mince
with your fingers as you drop
it into a large bowl. Add theblack pudding, crumbling
it in by hand as well.
6 Peel the garlic cloves and
mince or grate them into the
bowl. Now finely chop another
3 tablespoons’ worth of parsley
and 2 tablespoons of chives
and transfer both to the bowl.
7 Add the dried thyme, salt,
pepper and chilli flakes. Then
sprinkle over the oats and crack
in the eggs. Mix this all together
with your hands, making sure
it’s evenly incorporated.
8 Get out a large baking sheet
or a very large chopping board.
Then tear off walnut-sized
lumps of the mixture and roll
them between your palms to →deliciousmagazine.co.uk 59
make it special.