COCKTAIL MEATBALLS WITH CRANBERRY AND BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Recipe and photo: Elize de Kock

• Meatballs:
• 2 slices bread
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large egg beaten
• 450 g ground beef
• 450 g ground pork
• Sauce:
• 350 ml bottled barbeque sauce
• 2 – 3 tablespoons cranberry and gooseberry jam
• Meatballs:
• Preheat oven to 190ºC.
• In a large bowl, tear up the bread into pieces and add the milk.
• Mash the milk and bread together to form a paste.
• Add in the salt, pepper, grated onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and egg.
• Mix to combine.
• Add in the ground beef and pork.
• Mix to combine until all the ingredients are completely combined and smooth.
• Use a scoop or spoon to make 20 (30 g) size balls.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• When the oil is hot, add the meatballs.
• Allow the meatballs to brown on both sides, about 3 – 5 minutes.
• Once browned, place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until they reach 71 ºC (15 – 20 minutes.)
• While the meatballs are roasting, prepare the sauce.
• Sauce:
• In the same skillet in which the meat was browned, add the barbeque sauce, and berry jam.
• Over low heat, bring to a simmer.
• Continue to cook over a low simmer until slightly thickened (5 minutes).
• Once the meatballs are baked and fully cooked, remove them from the oven and add them to the prepared sauce.
• Spoon the sauce over the meatballs coating them completely.
• Reserve some sauce to serve as a dip on your platter.
• Serve (warm or cold) directly from the skillet or set on a platter.