The courgettes are still producing so it is potato peeler shreds in salads and lots of quick fried slices with mint or tomatoes - and if you put thin slices on a griddle so that they get the characteristic stripes and then dress them with french dressing and some toasted pinenuts, they do have a significantly raised status in life. The elder daughter is responsible for that suggestion. There is also the grateful giveaway to someone else.There are beetroots to be pulled and boiled, sliced into wine vinegar and put in jars. And there are leeks waiting patiently- a great advantage of leeks is that they do not spoil or go to seed in the ground. But these are all signs of the change in the season and despite the wonderful warm days, you do begin to think of autumnal food.
You may have seen the new telly cook, Allegra. She is my kind of cook, cheerful and hearty with cheerful and hearty food. This recipe for meatballs is from her book Leon so it is not original or new - it was in the Guardian too.
I am putting it here because I like it; it is easy, stretches to feed extras, any surplus freezes or mashes into a pasta sauce; it is full of herbs with a spicy sauce and makes a change from the Italian type with beef- and it seems to be an autumn kind of dish.
Morrocan Meatballs for 6 generous portions - but easily halved for 2/3 - if doing half, make sure you use as many herbs
1 kg minced lamb - you can halve it but this amount feeds 6/8 generously and, as above, any surplus stores well in the freezer
1 1/2 wholemeal pitta breads soaked in 120 ml milk for 10 mins and then squeezed into small pieces
A small bunch of parsley, chopped finely
A small handful of mint, chopped finely
1tsp dried oregano
2 cloves of garlic chopped
S&P
You may have seen the new telly cook, Allegra. She is my kind of cook, cheerful and hearty with cheerful and hearty food. This recipe for meatballs is from her book Leon so it is not original or new - it was in the Guardian too.
I am putting it here because I like it; it is easy, stretches to feed extras, any surplus freezes or mashes into a pasta sauce; it is full of herbs with a spicy sauce and makes a change from the Italian type with beef- and it seems to be an autumn kind of dish.
Morrocan Meatballs for 6 generous portions - but easily halved for 2/3 - if doing half, make sure you use as many herbs
1 kg minced lamb - you can halve it but this amount feeds 6/8 generously and, as above, any surplus stores well in the freezer
1 1/2 wholemeal pitta breads soaked in 120 ml milk for 10 mins and then squeezed into small pieces
A small bunch of parsley, chopped finely
A small handful of mint, chopped finely
1tsp dried oregano
2 cloves of garlic chopped
S&P
- Make this into a mixture using your hands ansd then roll into walnut sized balls.
- In batches, cook them briefly on a hot griddle so that they get brown stripes but do not cook through.
- 2 large tins (800g) or packets of chopped tomatoes mixed with 2 chopped cloves of garlic softened first in a little olive oil. Do not burn the oil.
- Add up to 1& 1/2 tablespoons of harrisa - the Morrocan ingredient, a spicy paste from the supermarket.
- Simmer 25 mins or so until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Add the meatballs and cook another 20 mins or so.
- Add a handful of basil and one of parsley, both chopped, near the end.
- Serve with couscous or rice or whatever takes your fancy plus salad including possibly the striped courgette one.
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