Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Currants

Preparation 25 Minutes

Cook 35 Minutes

Serves 4

Print Recipe Share

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Roughly chop one half of the onion and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add the lamb, torn apart bread, spices and coriander. Pulse until well combined. Remove to a mixing bowl and add pinenuts and seasonings. Mix well and form into large balls using approx. 1½ tablespoons mixture for each.
  2. Heat half of the oil in a large pan and sear the meatballs until well browned, set aside to drain on paper towel.
  3. Finely dice the remaining onion half and add to the pan with the remaining oil and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes over a low heat until tender. Add the passata, stock and currants, mixing well. Return meatballs to pot and cover with a lid. Place into oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and cook a further 5 minutes.Alternatively this can be cooked on the stove top, partially covered until meatballs are cooked through. Remove lid to reduce liquid if desired.

Ingredients

1 onion, halved

600g lamb mince

2 pieces wholemeal bread, crusts removed

2 tsp cumin

¼ tsp allspice

½ cup coriander leaves

2 tbsp SUNBEAM Pinenuts

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup tomato passata

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp SUNBEAM Currants

Parsley leaves, for serving

Recipe Collection

Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake

In a large bowl, combine mixed fruit, cherries, nuts, apple, golden syrup and liquor.  Mix well, cover and allow to stand overnight (or up to 24 hours for amazing flavour).

Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan forced).  Very generously grease the bundt tin, ensuring butter is in all creases. 

Add sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment.  Beat until fluffy and pale.  With the motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. 

Add flour and spices, beat on low until just combined.  Add orange zest and soaked fruit mixture and beat until just combined. 

In a small bowl mix together orange juice and bicarbonate of soda, add to the cake batter and beat until just incorporated.

Spoon batter into the prepared bundt tin, using a spatula to press mixture into any crevices and flatten the surface.

Bake for 2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre.  Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to remove and allow to cool completely.

Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding

  1. Place raisins, sultanas and rum in a bowl and set to one side.
  2. Cream butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
  3. Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon. Add breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, chocolate, buttermilk, rum soaked fruit and butter mixture and mix well to combine.
  4. Spray 1.7L pudding bowl with oil and line base with baking paper. Spoon mixture into bowl and top with baking paper round and lid. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, fill with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place pudding onto rack making sure the water comes about halfway up the basin. Cover and simmer for 3 hours, topping up water when needed.
  5. Remove from saucepan; stand for 10 minutes, before turning out.

Tip: This pudding can also be cooked in the microwave. Ensure your pudding bowl is microwave safe, cook in microwave on defrost setting for 30 minutes, check if a skewer inserted into pudding comes out clean. If not cooked, microwave at 5 minute intervals, until skewer comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out.

Almond Mandarin Cake

  1. Put the whole mandarins in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or until tender when tested with a skewer, topping up water as necessary. Drain, cool to room temperature, cut in half and remove any pips.
  2. Preheat oven to 160°C and line the base of a lightly greased 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
  3. Blend the cooled mandarins, eggs and sugar in a food processor until well combined. Add the almond meal, baking powder and orange blossom water (if using) and pulse until combined.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fruit & Nut Log Salami

In a dry pan on medium heat gently toast the slithered almonds till slightly brown, then set aside to cool.

Place the finely chopped dates and apricots pistachios, ginger & biscuits in a bowl.

Add the almonds, currants, cranberries Blend until well mixed, add melted chocolate & condensed milk and stir till combined.

Turn out onto cling film. Roll and shape into a log. Chill for at least 4 hours.

To decorate tie with bakers string roll in powdered sugar and wrap in baking paper.

Mini Indulgent Puddings

Preheat oven to 150°C

  1. Combine fruit, jellied cranberry sauce, brandy and spices in a large bowl, cover and leave to stand overnight.
  2. Brush ten 1-cup pudding basins (ramekins) with melted butter and line base with baking paper.
  3. Mix eggs, butter, brown sugar and flours until well combined, then stir through fruit mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared basins.
  4. Cut a large circle of foil and baking paper and place over each pudding, foil side up. Secure tightly with kitchen string.
  5. Place pudding in a large saucepan and add enough boiling water to fill halfway up the sides. Cover and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 11⁄4 hours, replenishing water when needed.
  6. Remove from water and store well wrapped until Christmas.

Fruit and Nut Easter Eggs

Combine mixed fruit, dates, 90g seed mix, 80g hazelnuts, 20g coconut, coconut oil, vanilla essence, coffee and salt in a food processor and blend until a smooth, thick paste is formed. 

Divide into 25 equal portions and roll each into a ball, then shape into an egg shape.

Place remaining seed mix into a food processor and process to a coarse crumb.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Repeat with remaining hazelnuts.  Pour remaining coconut into a small bowl. 

To decorate, roll 6 eggs in coconut, 6 in seed mix crumb, 6 in hazelnut crumb and leave 7 plain.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving cold.
More Recipes

Join Our Recipe Club