Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Currants

Preparation 25 Minutes

Cook 35 Minutes

Serves 4

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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

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.

Panforte

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan.

    Place sugar, honey and chocolate in a large saucepan and gently heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in the raisins, figs, cherries, cranberries and nuts. Mix well.

    Add flour, cocoa and spices to mixture and working quickly mix it together until all combined. You may need to wear a thick rubber glove. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before removing from pan to cool completely.

Baked Brie with Fruit & Nuts

 

Soak dried fruit in maple syrup & hot water to coat for 15–20 mins until plump and sticky. The longer the soak the plumper the fruit gets.

Score the top of the brie (light cross-hatch), place on a baking dish or lined tray. Bake at 180°C for 10 mins, until soft and gooey.

Top with the soaked fruit mixture and a little extra maple syrup.

Serve warm with crusty bread & crackers

Quick and Easy Christmas Pudding

  1. Place fruit and brandy in microwaveable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

  2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift flour and mixed spice over butter mixture, then stir in breadcrumbs and fruit mixture. Mix well.

  3. Grease and flour a 1.5L microwaveable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double-layer of baking paper secured with kitchen string.

  4. Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 30 minutes, rotating the bowl after 20 minutes. Test with a skewer inserted into pudding. If it doesn’t come out clean, microwave at 5 minute intervals until done. Leave pudding to stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a plate. Serve with custard.

Sunbeam Christmas Pudding

In a large saucepan combine all dried fruits with 300ml water, butter and caster sugar.  Stir well to combine, then bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and stir over a simmer for 8 mins.  Turn off the heat and stir in bicarbonate of soda.  Cover and allow mixture to cool completely overnight.

Soak breadcrumbs in milk until just absorbed.  Add to the mixture with lemon zest, almonds, carrot, flour and spices.  Mix well then stir in eggs, brandy and orange juice. 

Grease the base and sides of a 2L lidded pudding basin.  Spoon the mixture into the basin then smooth the surface and cover with a round of baking paper before closing the lid.

Place a trivet into the bottom of a large saucepan and rest the pudding basin on top.  Fill the saucepan with enough boiling water to come half way up the basin.  Cover the saucepan with lid, bring the water to a boil then reduce to very low simmer and leave the pudding to steam for 6 hours. 

Check that the pudding is done by gently pressing gently the centre.  If it springs back it’s ready (f not, re-cover and steam for a further 30 mins, repeating if necessary).

Allow pudding to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to cool completely.

Roasted Beetroot Salad

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Wrap each beetroot in foil, place on a tray and bake for approx. 45min-1hour until tender. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from each. Slice into ½ cm thick rounds.
  2. Meanwhile, place hazelnuts onto an oven tray and bake for 4 minutes, add pepitas and thyme and cook a further 4-5 minutes until golden and toasted. Allow to cool.
  3. Whisk together the oil, vinegar and sugar, season well.
  4. Arrange salad greens, sliced beetroot and cheese onto serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and pepita mixture and drizzle with dressing. Season well.
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