Ann Creber's - Meatballs with Creamed Cauliflower

At risk of sounding like story-tale Pollyanna (whom I detested for her self-righteous cheerfulness!), one happy side effect from this horrible
Covid is that those compelled to stay at home can spend more time in meal preparation! I'm sure there are recipe we know we would enjoy but usually just don't have the time to prepare!

Meatballs are easy to make but fiddly and quite time-consuming, so now that time is less of an issue I am sharing a favourite recipe with you. I happen to be very fond of cauliflower and, as it is one of the few reasonably priced and readily available vegetables at the moment, I enjoy it often.

I would also serve a large salad with this dish. As I am without a vegetable garden these days (all overgrown!), when I am shopping in the supermarket I buy a double-pack of a red & green lettuce, which are still on a root. I pop these into a jar on the kitchen bench and have a pretty decoration and fresh salad leaves at hand all the time! Of course, it is even better if you have a local Farmers' Market where you can do your weekly fruit & veg shopping!

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

• 1 cauliflower, separated into florets
• Approx 750g lamb or pork mince (or chicken or beef, if preferred!)
• 4 TB olive oil
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 125g grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1/3 cup light cream
• Sea salt & coarsely ground pepper
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped flat leafed parsley

METHOD

1. Place the cauliflower into a large saucepan, cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 10-12 minutes or until very tender.
2. Meantime, roll the mince into small balls. Pour 2 TB of the olive oil into a large frying pan and bring to medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning often, for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Strain the cauliflower, then return to the saucepan with the remaining olive oil with the garlic, mustard nutmeg and Parmesan and cream, salt and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash well.
4. To serve, divide mash between four warmed plates, top with the meatballs, sprinkle on the parsley, add a little drizzle of olive oil and serve at once.

Serve with a full flavoured Yarra Valley white wine or a light red wine.

This is a useful recipe as the quite a lot of the preparation may be done in advance. If preferred, melted butter may be substituted for the olive oil.

I hope you enjoy it and have reminded myself that this could be a handy recipe to cook for myself this weekend.

I hope you are taking advantage of all the lovely walks within short distances for the homes of most of us! Please observe the existing health rules of wearing a mask and observing social distances when necessary. We'll get through these hard times!!

Ann Creber
The Good Life on 3MDR 97.1 FM
Live to air every Monday 3.00-5.00 PM