Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Now after my post for Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs a couple of days ago, you could be forgiven for looking at this and thinking that I've obviously got some kind of fixation right now with meatballs.  The truth though is that I actually made these some months back, and didn't get around to posting them.  Now, since it's time to get together my weekly Cookbook Sundays post, and I haven't actually delved into the books this week, and since a good many of you out there in blogland are thinking and talking turkey right now, it seemed like a good time to get this out of draft and share it with you.

This recipe did actually come from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, which I've told you about a couple of times, so it does qualify for a submission to the Cookbook Sundays group.  Now if neither of my previous posts (here or here) have convinced you that you need this book, then perhaps this one will, and if you're still not convinced then keep coming back to my blog as there will be many more Ottolenghi posts to come.  I am one of those cooks, and I know I am not alone in this, who usually thinks that if I get one really good recipe that I keep coming back to time and again out of a book then it has been a good investment.  There are also cookbooks I own, that I sit and read and pour over the pages, but which I have never cooked out of, which is largely why I started posting to Cookbook Sundays.  But not this book - I think I've made more dishes out of this book than any other cookbook I've ever owned, and I've still barely scratched the surface.

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

Adapted from "Ottolenghi: The Cookbook"

Serves 4

Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

For meatballs:

1 cup sweetcorn kernels  (fresh or frozen)

3 slices of stale white bread, crusts removed

500g (1 lb) turkey breast, minced

1 large egg, free range

generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

grapeseed oil (or other neutral flavoured oil) for frying

For sauce:

4 red peppers

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

handful fresh coriander, leaves and stalks

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 small mild red chilli, deseeded

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

To make the sauce:  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F).  Meanwhile, cut the peppers into quarters, and remove the seeds and the white "pithy" seams.  Put them into a roasting tray with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and roast until soft - about 30-40 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl, along with any pan juices, cover with cling film, and allow to cool.  At this stage you can remove the skins if you like, though it really isn't necessary.  Add them to a blender or food processor, including the juices, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, coriander, garlic, chilli, sweet chilli sauce and white wine vinegar.  Process until sauce is smooth, taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Set aside.

To make the meatballs:  Begin by heating a non-stick skillet over high heat, and add the corn kernels to the dry pan.  Keep tossing them in the pan until lightly blackened, which will take just 2 or 3 minutes.  Remove and set aside to cool.

Soak the bread slices in cold water for a minute, then squeeze well and crumble into a large bowl.  Add the minced turkey, flat-leaf parsley, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, pepper and blackened corn.

Shape the mixture into balls, about the size of a golf ball - it is helpful to have a small bowl of water handy and work with damp hands.  The meatballs could be made ahead up to this stage and refrigerated until you are ready to cook them.

Heat grapeseed oil (to a depth of about 5mm (1/4 inch)) in a heavy skillet.  Once the oil is hot, cook the meatballs in small batches (5 or 6 at a time), turning them from time to time until they are golden brown all over.  Transfer to an oven tray and finish cooking in a 200 degree C (400 degree F) oven until completely cooked through - about a further 5 minutes.

These can be served hot or warm, with the pepper sauce on the side - I served them on a bed of couscous, drizzled with the sauce, and a crisp green salad on the side.

I made these during the winter using frozen corn (and loved them by the way), but now that summer is on the horizon, I'm looking forward to making them again with fresh corn.

Available from Amazon, Book Depository UK and Fishpond NZ

I'm submitting this post to Cookbook Sundays, hosted by the lovely Brenda at Brenda's Canadian Kitchen.  She's worth a visit any day of the week, but why not head over there right now and see who else has dusted off their cookbooks - you'll almost certainly find some great recipes, and maybe you'll discover a new book you'd like to add to your collection.

         

I'm also submitting this post to the Hearth and Soul blog hop, a place where you'll find lots of wonderful people who are passionate about great food and cooking from the heart - do go and have a look at what they're all cooking this week.