LAMB MEATBALLS WITH PENNE

Lamb is my favourite red meat, hands down. Roast has to be lamb, curry has to be lamb, and the pie has always got to be shepherd’s, never cottage.

So when I was invited by Quality Meat Scotland to an afternoon of sharing their new recipes for cooking Scotch Lamb with some Scottish food bloggers, I couldn’t say yes quickly enough!
 
What I loved about the three new recipes they cooked for us, other than the downright tastiness of them, was just how quick and easy they were. And to prove it wasn’t just because the professional chef was good at her job, we all got to pick one of the recipes and have a go at it ourselves. 
 
I came away from the afternoon wondering why I’d never really thought about cooking lamb for midweek suppers, and realised it was because all of my lamb recipes are real labours of love that are better suited to the weekend. Not anymore ...
 
This recipe wins on taste and effort and really is perfect for a midweek make. The meatballs take next to no time to roll up and can even be done in advance and left in the fridge for a few hours until you're ready to cook. The cherry tomatoes and fresh basil lend the sauce a freshness that I promise you'll come back for, and if – like me – you're thinking that tarragon and lamb is an odd combination let me assure you that it really really works. Really.
 
Scotch Lamb is just coming into season now, which continues until February/March, so there isn’t a better time to enjoy this dish and support Scottish! If you’re interested in checking out some other Scotch Lamb recipes, take a peek at the geniusly titled http://www.whambamlamb.com/.

Feeds 4. Preparation time 25 minutes. Cooking time 30 minutes.
 
STUFF YOU'LL NEED ...
500g lean lamb mince
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 large white onion, finely diced
1 slice of stale white bread, grated or zizzed into crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
handful of fresh tarragon leaves, gently chopped
25g fresh basil
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
200g cherry tomatoes
pinch of sugar
splash of balsamic
400g penne pasta
salt and pepper to season
50g parmesan shavings (optional)
CSI-style vinyl gloves (optional)
 

COOK!
Mix the lamb, half the garlic and onion, breadcrumbs, egg, a pinch of salt and pepper and tarragon leaves. Get those CSI gloves on if you have them and roll yourself 12 golfball-ish sized meatballs. Cover with clingfilm before popping into the fridge for 30 minutes or so – the fridge bit is optional and you can skip it if you're rushed, but it does help the meatballs hold together better when you're cooking them. Not a mealbreaker if you can't.
 
While the meatballs are chilling, preheat your oven to 200 °C/400 °F/gas mark 6. (If you're skipping the chilling then probably best to do this bit first.)
 
If you have a casserole that is as happy in the oven as it is on the stove (and vice versa) then you can do this all in one pot. If you don't, do your frying in a standard frying pan and then transfer to a casserole for the oven, or just cook the whole thing on the stove. 
 
Put some oil in your casserole or pan and cook the meatballs in batches until they are mostly browned all over but not cooked through. Remove to a plate (with kitchen roll to soak up some of the excess oil) and set to one side. 
 
In the same pan, gently sauté the rest of the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt, then add a pinch of sugar and a goodly splash of balsamic vinegar to cut through the acidity of the tomatoes. Bring up to the boil and leave simmering for 3–4 minutes.
 
Next, return the meatballs to the pan along with the cherry tomatoes and basil. Give it all a gentle stir so as not to break your meatballs, and bring to a simmer. Once it's simmering, pop a lid over it and place in the oven for about 20–5 minutes (or leave on top of the stove for the same amount of time).
 
Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the packet and drain so that it's ready when the meatballs are.
 
Remove the pan of meatballs from the oven. For best NOMs, remove the meatballs from the sauce onto a plate and then add the drained pasta to the pan and mix well with the sauce. Add the meatballs back in and mix again so that everything is coated in the tomato sauce. 
 
Plate up, sprinkling over some parmesan shavings and a few sprigs of basi. Serve up, and marvel at the unusual but totally tasty marriage of tarragon and lamb.

 

There are many more recipes, tasty tips and foodie thoughts on Fiona Booth's blog at www.fifigoesnom.com/