Pascale's Kitchen: Food kids love -

MEATBALLS WITH CUMIN

By PASCALE PEREZ-RUBIN , MARCH 4, 2021

https://www.jpost.com/food-recipes/pascales-kitchen-food-kids-love-660946

Meatballs (photo credit: PASCALE PERETZ-RUBIN AND DROR KATZ)

Meatballs are a favorite among most kids. What is a better way of demonstrating your love for your family than serving them nourishing meatballs that are cooked in a tasty tomato sauce?

Whenever I get ready to cook something with fresh ground beef, I hesitate between making hamburgers or meatballs with lots of herbs and other fun additions mixed in and cooked in tomato sauce. Other times, I use ground chicken or ground fish to make tasty dishes.

Alternatively, you can cook meat, chicken or fish patties in the oven. Or they can be fried on the outside and then added to a delicious sauce. In short, there is no limit to the variations you can come up with when you’re preparing meatballs. And when you’re preparing something especially for kids, you can make sure to use ingredients and flavors that even the pickiest eaters will love.

This classic meatball recipe below is highly flavored by the spice cumin, which perfectly complements beef. You can use the same mixture to make hamburgers that are grilled on a barbecue.

MEATBALLS WITH CUMIN

Makes 25 to 30 balls.

Ingredients

15 stalks of parsley

20 cloves of garlic, peeled

500 g. ground beef (or chicken or fish)

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 packet baking powder

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Sauce:

6 soft medium tomatoes

4 Tbsp. oil

10 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

2-2½ cups water

400 g. frozen green broad beans

Directions

Chop the parsley or garlic. Mix together with the rest of the ingredients. Make balls that are 3-4 cm. and store in the fridge until the sauce is ready.

To prepare the sauce, cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Heat oil in a large, flat pan and add the celery, garlic, tomatoes, salt, sugar and pepper. Sauté for five minutes. Add the cumin and cinnamon. Dilute the tomato paste with water and then add to pot. Bring to a boil.

Arrange the meatballs in the pot. Cover and cook over medium flame for 30 minutes. Add the frozen broad beans, mix and continue cooking over a medium-low flame for another 1 ¾ hours. Add another ½ cup of water if needed.

Serve meatballs over a bed of white rice, mashed potatoes or spaghetti.

Level of difficulty: Medium Time: 90 minutes Status: Meat

Enjoy!