Monday, November 22, 2010

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce 1

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.

Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

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.

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce 5

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.

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce 4

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.

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce 6

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.

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce 2

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.

Ottolenghi: The Cookbook


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.

cookbook sundays          

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.

26 comments:

  1. Wow, the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce really caught my attention! Sounds very good and it definitely looks delicious with the meatballs. You can post all the meatballs recipes you want, I think everyone loves meatballs! I definiely do. Bookmarking this! Thank you!

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  2. I do the exact same. I have a few cookbooks that have never failed me, and I'll try things from them time and again.

    These look beautiful! I'd never thought to put sweetcorn in meatballs...

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful cookbook!!

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  4. Sue, these look so good. I love ground turkey and really like the spice combinations in this dish. Glad you posted it - and I love the nod to the turkey :-)

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  5. Hi kitchen flavours - thanks - pleased you like this one. The roasted red pepper sauce was wonderful, and I actually had lots left over that I used for several days on all sorts of things.

    Hi Rebecca - thanks - the sweetcorn was a great addition to these meatballs.

    Thanks Ananda - it's a great sauce.

    Pam - totally a "must have" cookbook.

    Lyndsay - I really enjoyed the ground turkey - it's not something we have here much, as it is very expensive, so I would more likely normally use chicken, but it was great for a change and a special treat :-)

    Sue

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  6. These do sound good! I am not a ground turkey fan (as yet) and I think this will be the turning recipe. Thanks Sue.

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  7. I'm convinced! I want the book...but not quite as badly as I want these meatballs drenched in that fabulous sauce...YUM! Sounds so amazing, Sue! Thanks for sharing it w/ the hearth and soul hop this week :D

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  8. Every time you post something from this cookbook, I am reminded of just how much I need it in my life! An obsession with meatballs is totally acceptable, in my opinion. Especially when they sound as tasty as this.

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  9. Gotta love that Red pepper sauce Thanks for sharing the step-by-step photos and for stopping by my blog.

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  10. You've just reminded me I've been meaning to make this recipe for ages. This book is wonderful (as is Plenty). Thanks for the pics and the inspiration.

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  11. This looks wonderful! I was so taken by it I have mentioned it in my Monday Musings vlog this week :) Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe!!

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  12. SuzyQ, it is my week off from commenting on the hearth and soul hop, and I know you dont have the same thanksgiving in new zealand, but i wanted to take this moment on our thanksgiving to give special thanks for YOU in my life! So glad we hooked up on the net and I really think we are two peas in a pod! Looking forward to many more years of friendship and blogging together and hopefully one day, meeting! Tons of love! p.s. any type of meatballs is good balls to me! :) Alex

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  13. Sue, I really do like the flavor combinations here. Chili sauce, not too much, and it sounds like something I could also keep in the freezer (if I made too many) then pop out for a quick meal. I like it!

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  14. Wow! Great recipe! I'll eat anything with chili sauce but this is exceptional! I can still find fresh corn and Winter is fast approaching here in my neck of the woods. I've got to make this,Pronto! Cheers!

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  15. Sue - you are totally killing me with these! I thought your other meatballs were to die for but this?! THIS is making me crazy with hunger! I love the corn in the meatballs - yum! And that red pepper sauce - wow! Really amazing recipe :-)

    All the best,
    Veronica

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  16. I've never seen meatballs like this before! They look seriously amazing. Corn is the perfect addition and I'm sure the roasted red pepper sauce sends it over the top :) Thanks for an awesome recipe! Wishing you a great Thanksgiving :)

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  17. I love to read about ur cook books and u ping me to go thru my collection too!!
    i lovee meatballs too , i mean if u have these delciousness coming up , i totally love them!!
    U have fantastic recipes and pics that make me sooo hungry!

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  18. Great idea about adding the corn, I could add other veggies in the meatballs. The sauce recipe sounds mouthwatering.

    Thanks for your nice comments.

    Mely

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  19. Oh, Sue how yummy! I went and ordered the cookbook as a gift to myself for Christmas - I love the corn in the meatballs - a surprise! Thanks for sharing with the hearth and soul hop!

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  20. I am in love with that sauce and I am crazy about meatballs so I fully support any obsession you have. Still coveting that cookbook too. ;-)

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  21. That sauce looks incredible. I haven't read one Ottolenghi recipe that I haven't instantly wanted to recreate, although turkey is a bit difficult to get hold of here...

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  22. Thanks Melynda. They were definitely very good. I think you could easily use ground chicken here if you were not so fussed on turkey.

    Thanks Heather - the book is definitely a winner, but this sauce is a real star - and I think it would be great with all sorts of things from fish to barbequed lamb chops :-)

    Hi Joanne - thanks for visiting - yes, you definitely need this book in your life :-)

    Hi Cheryl - thanks for the visit - the Red Pepper Sauce is great.

    Sally - thanks for visiting - hope you try it soon - I have Plenty on my wishlist (maybe it will be my Xmas present to myself this year)

    Alex - thanks so much for your lovely message. I share all of your sentiments, and I have absolutely no doubt that we will get to meet one day :-)

    Thanks Tina Marie - yes, I really enjoyed the flavour combinations of this - and definitely you could keep some in the freezer (if you could resist eating them all that is) :-)

    Michelangelo - thanks for visiting - how lucky you are to still have fresh corn - hope you enjoy these :-)

    Hi Veronica - thank you so much - the corn really does work well in the meatballs.

    Baking Serendipity - thanks so much for visiting and your lovely comments. These were really delicious - the corn was a great compliment to the turkey, both in flavour and texture, and the sauce is fantastic.

    Hi Mia - thanks for visiting and your lovely comments. Hope you get into some of your cookbooks :-)

    Mely - thanks for visiting - the corn is a great addition here - blackening it especially adds great flavour.

    Hi Christy - I'm so excited that you ordered the book - I know you will love it. It's the perfect Christmas gift for yourself - funnily enough I bought it last year as my Christmas gift for myself. I'm thinking that this year my gift will be Plenty (the second book by Ottolgenhi).

    Hi Deb - you would totally love this sauce & hope you get the cookbook sometime, as I know you would love that too :-)

    Hungryandfrozen - thanks for visiting - couldn't agree more about Ottolenghi recipes. Yes turkey can be a little difficult to get hold of here too, and pricey too - I think chicken mince would make a perfectly good substitute.

    Blackbookkitchendiaries - thank you so much.

    Sue :-)

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  23. Sue, I'm with you. If I can get one REALLY good recipe out of a cookbook, I'm happy, lol. If I can get more than one, I'm ecstatic. :o) As soon as I saw these I was thinking, "YUM!" Corn in meatballs - I love it! Thank you so much for linking up to Cookbook Sundays and my apologies for taking so long to get back to you. I hope you're having a great week!

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  24. Hi Brenda - I think you would really like these. Welcom back - hope you had a fantastic time on your holiday :-)
    Sue

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