Lamb Meatballs in a Feijoada-style Sauce

INGREDIENTS

LAMB MEATBALLS
150g of onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

900g of lamb mince

1 tbsp of fresh herbs, such as parsley, marjoram and oregano

1 egg, beaten

5 tbsp of olive oil

salt

freshly ground black pepper

FEIJOADA SAUCE
2 large onions, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

50g of red lentils

450g of tinned chopped tomatoes

450g of tinned black beans, drained

2 tbsp of rapeseed oil

fresh parsley, chopped

METHOD

1. To begin, make the meatballs. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat and add the onion and garlic. Cover and sweat for 4 minutes, until soft and a little golden

2. Add the lamb mince, sweated onion and garlic, herbs and egg to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until everything is combined and divide the mixture into 24 even meatballs

3. Add some of the remaining olive oil to a frying pan and place over a medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until golden all over, cooking in batches if necessary

4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add the oil to a large saucepan and fry the onion, garlic, and red pepper for 2 minutes or until light golden brown

5. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer and add the browned meatballs. Poach the meatballs in the sauce for 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through

6. Divide between serving bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve with some plain steamed rice