Carrot & Sundried Tomato Meatballs (Rissoles) with Cheese Sauce

Some people may like their meatballs to be…well meaty.

Okay I’m stating the obvious here. But as for me, I like my meatballs loaded with vegetables especially if I want to have them on their own. Not with pasta nor flat bread nor rice. Just meatballs or what we would call rissoles and a side salad.

This makes a nice departure from my usual pasta or rice or noodles routine. A good accompaniment to the kale tabouli which I have just made. And a perfect vessel for me to drizzle cheese sauce over!

Carrot & Sundried Tomato Meatballs (Rissoles) with Cheese Sauce

Makes 6 fairly large meatballs

What you’ll need for the meatballs:-

• 500g/17.6 ounces mince beef
• 1 medium sized carrot, peeled and roughly cut into smaller pieces
• 1/2 medium sized brown onion
• A handful flat leave parsley
• 1/2 cup semi sundried tomatoes, roughly cut into smaller pieces
• A slice of bread
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, about 5 rounds of grinding
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika

Equipment required: a food processor

Cheese Sauce (recipe from bestrecipes.com.au):-

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 cup milk ( I used low fat)
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• Salt  *omitted as I used salted butter*
• Pepper * I forgot to add*

If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the carrot ( if you finely grate it, you may need to squeeze the grated carrot to remove excess liquid), finely chopped onion, parsley and sundried tomatoes.

 (1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius/ 392 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line baking tray with baking paper. Grease the baking paper with some oil spray or pour some oil and spread it on the baking paper using a spoon. Set aside. (2) Place mince beef in a large mixing bowl. Process a slice of bread until resembles fine breadcrumbs. Transfer the breadcrumbs to the mixing bowl. Then process, carrot, onion, semi sundried tomatoes and parsley until resembles finely chopped and transfer to the mixing bowl. Add salt, paprika and black pepper. (3) Using your hand, mix everything together until a meat dough is form. Shape the meat dough into 6 meatballs and place them onto baking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the meatballs are thoroughly cooked (i.e the liquid runs clear when you prick into the heart of the meatball using a satay stick.). (4) When the meatballs are baking, make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a small sauce pan. Add flour and whisk using a fork for a minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook until it thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in grated cheese until it is melted and amalgamates with the sauce. (5) Transfer cooked meatballs to a serving dish and drape hot cheese sauce over them just before serving. Sprinkle with paprika if you wish. Serve with salad as a side i.e. kale tabouli.