This Ottolenghi-inspired dish has become a staple in my home.
Grass fed meat is a nutrient-dense food. When an animal is raised on its natural diet, this is not only ethically favourable but also means a better nutritional profile; specifically, grass fed meat is much higher in omega-3 fats compared to its grain-fed counterpart.
I always make my own almond meal by whizzing raw, unsalted almonds in a food processor. This means that it’s fresher and more textured than store bought varieties.
Ghee is clarified butter. Essentially this is butter that has had the milk solids removed from it, leaving behind a pure saturated fat. This fat is stable for cooking at higher temperatures and also delivers butyric acid, a very important fat for gut health. Ghee is also very delicious.
I like to serve these meatballs with sweet potato wedges, a beautiful green salad and some beetroot relish or some cultured veggies.
A little work ahead of time, such as steaming the leeks or making your almond meal, allows you to create this special dish mid week (without eating dinner at 10pm!).
Ingredients (makes ~ 12 patties)
2 large leeks, trimmed, well washed and roughly chopped
500g grass-fed minced beef
150g almond meal
3 organic eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons good quality fine salt
Cracked black pepper to taste
Organic ghee for pan frying
200-300 ml vegetable or chicken stock
120 ml fresh lemon juice
Freshly chopped parsley
Method
Steam the leeks for approximately 20 minutes, until completely soft. Place leeks on a clean tea towel and roll it up to soak up excess liquid. Transfer the leeks to a food processor and pulse (not too long as you don’t want mush).
Place the meat in a large mixing bowl, along with the leeks, almond meal, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix to combine well. Shape the mix into balls (roughly 80g) placing them on a large plate and slightly flatten them into patties. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat up about two teaspoons of ghee in a frying pan over medium-high heat and sear patties on both sides until golden brown. You will have to do this in a few batches, depending on the size of your pan. Wipe the pan in between batches and re-oil the pan.
In a large deep pan for which you have a lid, over medium heat, place the patties (they can be nice and snug). Pour over enough stock to almost cover the patties. Add the lemon juice. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and gently simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the patties from the remaining liquid.
Serve warm and garnish with parsley.