Ok, I have to confess something. This dish wasn't meant to be posted here. I just wanted to cook dinner for my kids. Something fast, uncomplicated, delicious. I was intended to make spaghetti with meatballs in tomato sauce. Classic.
I really don't know how I've ended with this dish. Sometimes it is hard, even for me, to keep up my culinary imagination and to understand all the twisted paths it follows.
But at the end- who cares? Kids were happy and satisfied with this dinner, I managed to packed more veggies in their meal and unintentionally I've created a delicious dish, which surely will be repeated in our house.
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 500 ml passata (or tomatoes from a can)
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 grilled red peppers, cut into smaller pieces
- 1 can sweet corn (drained)
- 1 can kidney beans (drained)
- 1/2 green pepper, cut in a medium-size dice
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/3 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- grated cheddar , for finishing the dish
- fresh corriander leaves, for garnishing
- lime wedges, for serving
- 200-300 grams bulgur, cooked accordingly to the suggestions
- 1/2 kilogram minced pork shoulder
- 1/2 medium-size courgette
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground corriander
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh corriander leaves
- salt, pepper
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Start with making meatballs.
Shred the courgette coarsely. Add a little bit of salt and set aside for a while. Drain the excess of water.
In a bowl mix the minced pork, drained courgette, egg, onion, garlic, fresh corriander and spices. Work a little bit with the meat until all ingredients are well combined. Form round meatballs of a size of a big walnut. Put them on a plate, cover with a wrap and place in a fridge while making the sauce.
Put the passsta (or canned tomatoes), water and chopped grilled peppers into a blender and bled until smooth.
Heat oil in a big pot.
Add the onion and cook a few minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook one more minute.
Pour the tomato & pepper sauce, add chopped green pepper and all spices. Cook everything for a while.
Reduce the heat, add meatballs and cook under cover for about 5 minutes.
Add drained corn and kidney beans. Check seasoning and adjust if neccessary.
Cook on a low heat for further 10-15 minutes until flavours interfused and meatballs are cooked in the center.
While the meatballs are cooking in the sauce, cook bulgur accordingly to the instructions given.
Serve the meatballs hot over the bulgur with a generous amount of sauce.
Finish the dish with cheddar shreds, fresh corriander and lime wedges served on the side.
Enjoy!
If you plan to serve this dish to adults only, I highly reccomend to make this sauce more spicy. Add more chili flakes or chopped fresh chili/jalapeno for additional heat.
You can then serve the dish with a dollop of sour cream on the side for cooling effect. It will be just perfect!
Another recipe where you manage to put in all the ingredients I like :-). Presentation in the picture is lovely, too. Makes me want to take a fork and dig in.
Thank you very much. We all enjoyed this dish very much. Next time I will make “adult” version with jalapeno peppers. It should have a kick! 🙂
Oooh – jalapeno peppers 😀 I would like that adult version, too!
I forgot to aks – the grilled peppers, do you grill them yourself, or do you buy them in a jar?
I grilled them myself in the oven but you can use pepeprs from a jar. If they are a decent quality it will be easier and faster and won’t harm the dish 🙂