Cherry Meatballs

You heard it here first folks.

The tomato is about to be dethroned as the go-to fruit for your meatballs.

Enter the delicious cherry. Especially the incredibly convenient, de-pitted frozen cherry.

Which will take your humble meatball from it’s tomato-laden Italian roots, to a sweeter more exotic middle eastern affair. That also happens to be nightshade-free.

You’ll never use the words ‘meatball’ and ‘boring’ in the same sentence again.

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Cherry Meatballs

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 hungry people

Ingredients

• 450 g meatballs
• 2 handfuls frozen cherries
• 4 handfuls snow peas or sugar snaps
• greek yoghurt or feta to serve
• 1 small handful pistachios
• 1 small bunch parsley or mint

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Crank your oven to 250C (480F).
• Place meatballs, frozen cherries and snowpeas / sugar snaps on a rimmed baking tray. Pop in the oven and set your timer for 12 minutes.
• When the timer goes, check to make sure the meatballs are cooked through - and give them longer if needed.
• Serve meatballs and veg with yoghurt / feta, pistachios and mint / parsley sprinkled over.

Variations & Substitutions

home made meatballs – mix 1 teaspoon each ground cumin, coriander and smoked paprika with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 450g (1lb) ground (minced) meat and 100g (3.5oz) almond meal. Form into balls and use in the recipe above.

pantry – use frozen green beans, broccoli or peas instead of the sugar snaps.

vegetarian – lentil balls or zucchini falafels.

different protein – chicken breast or thigh fillets (may need longer to cook), sausages, pork chops, pork fillet, salmon fillets, white fish fillets and see above for vegetarian ideas.

dairy-free – coconut or cashew yoghurt or replace with roast almonds.

more substantial (carb lovers) – serve with warm pita or rice.

more substantial (low carb) – more meat, more pistachios or add avocado.

different vegetables – cooked beets, zucchini, asparagus, eggplant, capsicum (bell peppers), fresh or frozen green beans, broccoli or peas. Or serve with baby spinach leaves or salad.

different herbs – basil, dill, coriander (cilantro).

different nuts – almonds, walnuts, macadamia, hazelnuts, pecans.

different dairy – goats cheese, creamy blue cheese, ricotta.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

meatballs – freeze them.

frozen cherries – will keep in the freezer for months.

snow peas or sugar snaps – you can freeze them.

yoghurt – usually has a shelf life of a month or so. Otherwise, have it for another meal like breakfast! Don’t freeze.

feta – keeps for months unopened in its packet. Or can be frozen..

pistachios – keep them in the pantry.

mint – best to use for another meal. leaves can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted so not ideal. Alternatively make a mint oil by packing washed and dried leaves in a clean dry glass jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil.

parsley – will keep in the fridge wrapped in a plastic bag for a few weeks. Can be frozen or make a parsley oil by packing the leaves into a clean jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil.

Problem Solving Guide

bland – more salt! Or add in a flavour bomb.

too dry – overcooked meatballs. Next time get it out earlier. For now a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil will help.

no oven – pan fry the meatballs, cherries and veg separately.

Prepare Ahead

Yes! Just cook as per the recipe but keep the toppings separately. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or can be frozen.