Are meatballs better baked or cooked in sauce?
The choice between baking meatballs or cooking them in sauce depends on personal preference and your specific recipe. Some people prefer the caramelised exterior and slightly firmer texture of baked meatballs, while others enjoy the tenderness and flavour infusion that comes from cooking them in the sauce. Experiment with both methods to find your preferred cooking style.
Ingredients
1/4 cup instant polenta
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp Mexican chilli spice blend
2 tsp ground coriander
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
500g beef mince
Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season
2 x 400g cans smoky BBQ baked beans
2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes
3 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander roots and stems, plus extra sprigs, to serve
2 Tbsp chipotle sauce
175g punnet sweet vine baby capsicums, halved lengthways, seeds removed
150g finely grated manchego cheese
Corn chips, sour cream and lime wedges, to serve
Cucumber salad
1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded, diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/3 cup coriander leaves
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
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Preheat oven to 200°C fan- forced (220°C conventional). Put 1/2 cup boiling water and polenta in a medium bowl. Cover and stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Add shallots, garlic, half of the spice blend, ground coriander, egg and mince. Season. Mix until combined and roll into 20 golf-ball sized meatballs using a tablespoon.
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Combine beans, tomatoes, paprika, coriander, remaining spice blend and chipotle in a medium bowl.
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Divide meatballs and capsicum between four 2-cup-capacity shallow dishes. Pour over bean mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
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To make Cucumber salad, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
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Garnish baked meatballs with coriander and serve with cucumber salad, corn chips, sour cream and lime.
You might also like to make Fast Ed's Italian meatballs
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