Pork meatballs with orange and wild fennel

giugno 2, 2010

It is often said that meatballs are meant to finish the leftovers, used to recycle other ingredients that are no more fresh… except this time!  I wanted to give a leading role to my meatballs, born just because I wanted them exactly as they are: small, round and with a delicate flavor. They are not a second choice, they are the unquestioned protagonists of today’s post!

The meat was there, so fresh. It could have become anything, I’ve wanted it meatballs: the best solution was to cut pork pieces with a sharp knife to have a rustic and flavorful mincemeat. A few more ingredients and 15 minutes later pork meatballs were ready and steaming hot, fresh and almost light!

Ingredients:

• pork pieces, almost 400 gr
• breadcrumbs, 40 gr
• egg, 1
• wild fennel, 2 springs
• juice of 1 orange
  
• salt and pepper
  
• cornstarch, 1 tablespoon
  
• frying oil

Cut with a knife diced pork meat until you have a texture similar to rustic ground meat. Add salt and pepper and a beaten egg, breadcrumbs and half the orange juice and mix well with your hands. I used only 40 grams of breadcrumbs: the final quantity will depend on how juicy orange is and how big the egg is, so add the breadcrumbs gradually.

In a saucepan heat a knob of butter and when it is melted pour in half the orange juice and the cornstarch, salt and pepper and stir quickly with a whisk until the sauce will get firmer. Add the finely chopped fennel and put aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan. Shape up walnut-size meatballs with your hands and when the oil is steaming hot deep fry them until they are golden brown on all sides. Put them on a plate with some paper towels as so absorb extra oil.

Serve meatballs with warm orange and fennel sauce.

For once, I decided to stay grounded to the basic. No spices, no strange and extravagant ingredients … pork and only two more ingredients that marry wonderfully with this meat: orange and fennel. This mix has created simple and delicate meatballs, as orange and fennel make them aromatic and tasty.

Share this!

Posted in Main Course, Meat