Pork and Cameo Meatballs

Servings: 4 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

4 Cameo apples, cored and chopped
Zest and juice of ½ lime
400g pork mince
30g fresh tarragon, torn
2 tbsp pine nuts, roughly crushed
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp breadcrumbs
Plain flour for dusting
400g plum tomatoes
6 courgettes, ribboned
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp honey
Sea salt and ground black and pink pepper

Method

  1. In a large bowl, combine the Cameo apples and lime zest and juice. Mix in the mince, half of both the tarragon and pine nuts, then mix in the egg and breadcrumbs. Dust your hands with the flour, then divide the mince mixture into walnut-sized meatballs. Place on a tray or plate and chill until use.
  2. Cover the tomatoes with boiling water in a large bowl and stand for 10 minutes. Peel the skins away and deseed by pulling the tomatoes apart within the cooled water. Chop the tomato flesh and set aside. Sieve the tomato water into a jug then discard the skins and seeds in the sieve.
  3. In a large bowl, dress the courgette ribbons with the lemon zest and juice, as well as sea salt, black and pink pepper. Mix in the tarragon.
  4. In a large saucepan, heat half of the olive oil and sauté the shallots and garlic with the honey and a pinch of salt for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add the tomato flesh and cook for 2 minutes before adding 250ml of the tomato water. Reduce for 10-15 minutes, or until thick and glossy.
  5. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs, stirring to seal, then cook for 5 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Divide the courgettes between four plates and top with the meatballs and tomato sauce.

Serve with delicious crusty bread.