Meatball chilli with Isle of Wight tomatoes
Italy meets Texas in this super fun twist on a classic!
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
You’ll need
For the meatballs
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
500g beef mince
50g breadcrumbs
1 egg yolk
For the chilli
1 kilo Isle of Wight tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic granules
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried oregano
400ml beef stock
400g tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
A small bunch coriander, chopped, plus extra to serve
To serve
Cooked rice
100g mature cheddar, grated to serve
150g soured cream, to serve
What to do
Begin by roasting the tomatoes. Depending on the size of your tomatoes, halve them, quarter them or use them whole of they are cherries. Put them in a roasting tin, ideally in a single layer, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic granules, season and roast at 200˚c for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and when they are cool enough to handle, blitz with a stick blender or crush with a fork.
While the tomatoes are roasting, to make the meatballs, start by sautéing the chopped onion in 1 tbsp of oil on a gentle heat in the frying pan for five minutes. Add the garlic, chilli powder and cumin and cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Leave to cool. Put the mince, eggs and breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl, season and add the cooled onion mixture and mix well with your hands. Roll into meatballs, you can make them as big or small as you like. Ping pong ball size works well.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a deep, wide frying pan. Brown the meatballs in batches, setting them aside as you go.
To make the sauce. Add the onion to the same pan (along with a little more oil if needed) and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the chopped pepper and cook for another 5 minutes until they start to soften and colour. Add all the spices and herbs, and stir everything for a few minutes. Add the blitzed tomatoes and stock, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until the mixture has thickened, then add the meatballs and kidney beans, and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Sprinkle over the coriander and serve with rice, cheese, soured cream and more coriander, if you like.
Recipe courtesy of The Tomato Stall
Melina - Assistant Editor
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