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Spicy Pork Meatballs, Creamed Polenta and Salsa Verde

Name: Spicy Pork Meatballs, Creamed Polenta and Salsa Verde
Prep time: 00:15:00
Cook time: 01:00:00
Total time: 01:15:00

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Juicy British pork meatballs spiked with Mexican spices bathing in a chipotle tomato sauce, served with a creamy cheesy polenta and zesty salsa verde. The perfect midweek meal or served on a platter for entertaining, this affordable showstopper will surely be on rotation. 

Recipe courtesy of Sophie Mann, @mannsgotmunch.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 1 hrs and 0 mins

Serves: 4

Cooking Skill: Not Too Tricky

Ingredients

750g British pork mince 

50g fresh breadcrumbs 

4 tablespoons milk  

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon ground coriander 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 shallot, peeled and finely diced 

30g freshly chopped parsley

30g freshly chopped coriander 

1 egg 

50ml extra virgin olive oil 

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced 

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced 

90g prepared chipotle paste 

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 

½ teaspoon dried oregano 

2 teaspoons runny honey 

1L water 

200g fine polenta 

50g salted butter 

50g Parmesan cheese 

10 pickled jalapeños, finely chopped 

Zest and juice of 1 lemon or lime 

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C Fan, Gas Mark 6 .

Step 2

Start by making the meatballs; in a bowl add the breadcrumbs and milk, then in goes the mince, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, shallot, ½ of the parsley, ½ of the coriander and egg to bind. Give it a good mix, making sure everything is distributed and the mince is broken down. Season with salt and pepper. 

Step 3

With wet hands shape the mixture into 12 golf ball-sized meatballs using around 2 tablespoons of the mix per meatball. 

Step 4

Transfer to a shallow foil-lined baking tray and bake meatballs for 15 minutes (they won’t be fully cooked through as they will finish cooking in the sauce). 

Step 5

Now for the sauce, add half the oil, ¾ of the garlic and chili to a large saucepan and fry for a few minutes. Add in the chipotle paste, chopped tomatoes, ½ can of water, oregano and 1 teaspoon honey. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Season to taste.

Step 6

Transfer the meatballs and any resting meat juices into the pan with the sauce, make sure the meatballs are covered in the sauce, cover and continue to cook over a low heat for a further 15 minutes. 

Step 7

Meanwhile prepare the polenta by boiling 1L of water in a large saucepan, add in the polenta and whisk vigorously to ensure no lumps, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Finish by whisking in the butter and grated Parmesan until creamy. Season to taste.

Step 8

Make a quick salsa verde in a bowl by combining the remaining coriander, parsley, garlic, jalapeños, honey and the zest and juice of the lemon or lime. Finish with the remaining olive oil to loosen. Season to taste. If preferred, blitz in a food processor or blender for a smoother texture. 

Step 9

Serve the creamy polenta, topped with the spiced meatballs and zesty salsa verde. 

Tips and Serving Suggestions

If preferred swap the creamy polenta for mash.

Each serving provides

Based on pork mince

Energy

3649kj

872kcal

43%

Fat

42.7g

61%

Saturates

17g

85%

Sugars

17.4g

19%

Salt

1.94g

32%

% of an adult's Reference intake

Typical energy values per 100g: 449kJ, 107kcal, 5.3g fat, 2.1g saturates

Each serving provides: 54.5g Protein, 63.5g Carbohydrate, 8g Fibre

If different cuts of meat are used, then the nutrition info may vary