My Favourite Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Introduction
Serves: Makes about 45 regular-sized meatballs, or 60 cocktail-sized ones
Ingredients
500g (1 lb 1 oz) minced (ground) beef
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp each thyme and marjoram
1 large (size 7) free-range egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp or more water
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
Sauce
½ cup tomato ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
Method
1 Mix beef, onion, parsley, breadcrumbs, salt, thyme, marjoram and egg together in a large bowl. Beat in enough water to make the mixture light and airy (the mixture should stick together when pressed but it should not be claggy). Roll the meat into small balls with damp hands transferring them to a tray as they are done. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2 Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat and add the butter. Drop meatballs into the pan – you will most likely need to cook them in two batches – and cook until golden, turning them with two spoons to ensure they colour evenly. Remove meatballs from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Cook the second batch adding a little more oil if necessary.
3 When all the meatballs are cooked, pour off excess fat from the pan and add sauce ingredients. Stir until mixed and when the sauce is warm return meatballs to the pan and let them warm through in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little water. Serve meatballs hot with rice or a mash, or serve cocktail-sized meatballs with mini bamboo skewers for a substantial nibble with drinks.