Balsamic-Caramelised Echalion Pasta with Meatballs!

Well, it's Day Four of Kittie's new job - and it's going well so far! I'm missing not being too busy to check out as many blogs as I would like - not to mention posting here. But hopefully it will settle down over the next few days and I'll work out a new routine!

Update! Since my last edit (it was originally Day Three!), I have been told I am going to be moved onto another new project - to make better use of my talents... I didn't realise you got IT Project Cooks!! ;)

In the little time I have today, I thought I would pass on this great pasta dish. As you may have guessed, I've had a bit of a thing about caramelized onions recently - I keep making up big lots of them then chucking them into various dishes! Nom nom nom... my favourite so far was the chicken and caramelized onion risotto... nom nom nom!

This started out as a what-can-I-make-without-leaving-the-flat dish... Armed with a bag of Ikea meatballs, a bag of banana/ echalion shallots, a tin of tomatoes and an excuse to open a lovely bottle of red, I stormed the kitchen, banged together a few pots, and 45 minutes later sat down to a lovely bowl of...

Balsamic-Caramelised Echalion Pasta with Meatballs

Add meatballs/ pasta to stretch this up to 4!

Woo hoo - two weeks in a row! This is my effort for this week's Presto Pasta Night - hosted by Ruth at Once Upon a Feast. Hang on - oh no it isn't... This week it is instead being hosted by Kevin at Closet Cooking!!

• Ikea meatballs (ok then, make 'em from scratch if you're feeling energetic!)
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 150ml red wine
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 6 echalion shallots, caramelized with a touch of balsamic - see here for details!
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Fresh oregano, chopped (from my garden!)
  
• 2 Bay leaves (Also from my garden - it survived the snails!)
  
• pasta to serve - I used some barollo linguine (which is why is looks a funny colour!) but I didn't enjoy it too much and won't buy it again!

Prepare the Sauce...
In a pan, heat a glug of olive oil and lightly fry the garlic for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes, wine, oregano, bay leaves and bell pepper.

Simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has deepened to a dark red, and the raw tomatoey smell has gone.

Season to taste

Finish the Sauce...
Add the meatballs and continue to cook until they are cooked/heated through.

Add in the caramelised onions and combine well.

Serve...
With a sprig of fresh oregano and the pasta of your choice!

Spicy Pork and Crab Meatballs

I started making these spicy meatballs to accompany my New Year noodle soup, but decided to put them up as a separate page as they can be included in way more dishes than just this soup. I made a monster batch of them, froze some, used some in the soup, baked and served with dipping sauce. And - one of my new favourites - using fine egg noodles, soy sauce and a beaten egg, created an noodle nest for each meatball - fried until golden and crispy. (I forgot to take pics of this one, but will put it up next time I make it!)


I've just realised I put the soup up before the meatballs and now everything's out of order - between that, forgetting to take pics or note my quantities, and losing my camera cable - this blogging thing isn't quite as easy as I thought ;)

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
• 1 large shallot (or 3 scallions) roughly chopped
• 2 red chillies (Add more or less to taste depending on how hot you like it, and how hot the chillies are!) - roughly chopped
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger - roughly chopped
• 1 red pepper - cut into large pieces
• Zest of one lime
• 1 tbsp dark/thick soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Small handful coriander (cilantro) - roughly chopped
• 1 tin crab meat (or replace with 150g fresh crab meat)
• 500g minced (ground) pork
• 1 egg - beaten

1. Add the garlic, shallot, chillies, ginger, red pepper, zest and coriander into a food blender and blitz until all ingredients are very finely chopped.
2. Remove from blender into mixing bowl.

1. Add crab meat to mixture and combine.
2. Put the pork, egg, soy and fish sauce and sesame oil into blender and blitz until pureed.
3. Add this to the crab mixture and mix until well combined.

1. Using damp hands, shape the mixture into small walnut-sized balls. I got about 32 from the quantities above.

1. Put the balls in fridge for 30 minutes to chill (This is optional - but will help them stay together better!)
2. Use as you like - but make sure they're cooked through!
   

Spicy Pork and Crab Meatball Soup

Well, I guess December was a bad time to start a food blog - no sooner had I started to think about it the party season started... then went to visit family for a few days... all in all, not much cooking has been done recently!

January is always a month where I try to cook everything 'from scratch'- in a panic to be healthy and save money! So the first thing I turned to when the excess of Hogmanay and New Year was over was a huge steaming spicy tasty bowl of noodle soup! Left-over pork mince from stuffing the turkey tempted me towards meatballs... and rather randomly a spare packet of brussel sprouts was a somewhat non-traditional veg - but they worked well. Though if you really don't like them, then some sliced cabbage would do just as well!


Apologies for the blurry, messy picture! Just before I made this a friend popped by and we went out for a quick New Year drink... So much for the detox. Then by the time I got home and made this, I was too hungry to stop and take my pics properly. I also forgot to put on the chilli garnish... Still tasted good though!

You will need:

24 pork and crab meatballs - uncooked

1 clove garlic - crushed
1 inch piece ginger finely chopped
1 litre Clear chicken broth
4 baby bok choi,
2 portobello mushrooms - thinly sliced
12 baby sweet corn
2 small handfuls bean shoots
Fine rice noodles (I use 100g per person!)
Chopped coriander/ wedge of lime and sliced red chilli to garnish
Fish sauce and soy sauce to season

Directions

Cook the rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet, drain, rinse under cold water and set aside.
Heat the chicken broth to simmering point - so the bubbles are only gently breaking the surface.
Add the garlic and ginger to the broth.
Gently slide in the pork balls.
Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer.
After 3 minutes, add the vegetables.
Simmer for another 3 minutes.
Check seasoning and adjust with soy or fish sauce as required.
Divide the noodles between 4 soup bowls.
Add the meatballs and veg to each bowl then ladle over the stock.
Garnish with the sliced chillies, coriander and lime.
Serve immediately and enjoy!