I’m not really sure where to start with this. I’m tempted just to write in sentences that end with enthusiastic/slightly exaggerated exclamation marks. Buy buffalo meat! It’s healthier than chicken! It’s low in cholesterol and fat!! It tastes great! It contains more iron than beef! It’s grass-fed and antibiotic and hormone free! Something, like that anyway.
I have a new thing with cooking buffalo/bison whatever you want to call it- I love the fact that it’s healthy, of course and the fact that it’s cheaper than beef doesn’t hurt either. But even more than that I love the fact that it’s grass-fed and free of any hormones and drugs. Fancy that! Can you tell that I’m finding it awfully hard to avoid exclamations today? It’s just so exciting!
The downside of course is that it can be hard to find- which is really a good thing because if it was as easy, as oh lets say, skinless boneless chicken breasts then you could pretty safely bet that it’s being over-farmed and treated like- well the same way the majority of our livestock is treated today.
Wow, that was a downer- perhaps the exclamations weren’t so bad after all.
So let us talk meatballs then! Ground buffalo is great for making meatballs ( it’s also great for making cottage pie and lasagna FYI) I can’t really tell you why- these just taste bloody brilliant. I sort of went the whole hog, so to speak on the ‘healthy’ thing here- being that it’s a New Year, I thought it rather fitting. And for those of us who enjoyed this years seasonal festivities so much so that come New Years Eve you found the top button of your trousers relentlessly popping open- I’m sure you’ll find yourself agreeing with me that a healthier recipe for your repertoire ain’t no bad thing. At least to see you through the day when you need to wear a belt again. And even if you did manage to get to New Years without adding loose weight to your list of resolutions, you’ll probably appreciate this recipe for the way that it appeals to your already flat-belly.
This really isn’t a new idea, it’s just one that I recently thought worth trying- that is replacing some of the meat with mushrooms. I know it sounds like a bloody cheat, which is ultimately why I’ve never given it a go. You’ve probably guessed that I’m one of those people struggling to get my jeans on these days- which, true though it may be there is a larger reason for my sudden extremity. Not only am I feeling more and more passionate about where the meat I consume comes from, I’m also finding my weekly food costs spiraling out of control as I try to be an eco-conscious omnivore. It’s a tricky business and one that the only real solution to, is to simply cut back on how much you eat. You can go for using a smaller plate so that your steak still looks huge but this is a new way of tricking myself, and let’s not forget Don, which works pretty well too. You can’t really taste the mushrooms, which is why I don’t recommend splurging on any wild ones, but they kind of break up what could otherwise just be a big old dense ball of meat.This may suit you well, but for me I want something a little more tender- more, can I say it without cringing… succulent! I couldn’t just stop there though- so I threw in a few spices, fresh parsley, lemon and some feta, which all add layers of flavour and that may well have you talking in exclamations soon too!
Print This PostBuffalo, feta & mushroom meatballs with San Marzano tomato sauce
These are delicious served with a crusty loaf of bread or go the traditional route and serve over pasta. If you are going to make the meatballs in advance, omit the lemon juice- I’m pretty sure it will react badly!
Makes 16 (serves 4-6)
Diet facts: Gluten-free super healthy!
Olive oil
1 large onion
1 large garlic clove
1 28oz tin San Marzano diced tomatoes
small bunch Fresh basil (optional)
225g/8oz chestnut (cremini) mushrooms (or white mushrooms)
450g/ 1 lb ground buffalo (bison)
1/2 bunch parsley (1/4 cup once chopped)
1 large egg
85g/ 3oz feta cheese
generous pinch ground cumin
pinch ground coriander
1/2 lemon (juice & zest)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Prep work
Peel the onion, cut in half lengthwise and dice.• Very finely dice or mince the garlic. • Open the can of San Marzano tomatoes. • If using the basil, wash and dice the stalks (discard the ends), pick the leaves and reserve. • Finely chop the mushrooms. • Chop the parsley leaves (you need about 1/4 cup). • Lightly beat the egg. • Break the feta into pea-sized crumbles.• Zest the 1/2 lemon and juice it.
How to make
1/ Heat the oven to 225C/425F/Gas 7. In a medium-sized deep frying pan heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, without colouring about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
2/ Transfer half of the onions/garlic to a large bowl. To the remaining onions/garlic in the pan, add the San Marzano tomatoes and a 1/3 tin full of water. Bring to simmer and let gently simmer for about 15-20 minutes until thickened. At this point you can blend or keep chunky. Season to taste.
3/ Meanwhile, In a new large frying pan, heat a drop or two of olive oil over a high heat. Sauté the mushrooms until lightly golden and softened (about 2-3 minutes). Add to the bowl of onions/garlic and allow to cool.
4/ To the cooled onions/garlic/mushrooms add the remaining ingredients and use your hands to gently but thoroughly mix together. Form into 16 balls about the size of golf balls. The mixture is quite wet but don’t squeeze too hard together or the meatballs will be tough. Place onto a baking tray (either greased or lined with bake-o-glide).
5/ Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. (check after 15 minutes, times will vary depending on oven temp) If you know that your oven is cool, cook at a higher temp. Serve with pasta, salad, bread…you name it. Top with some of the tomato sauce, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and if you have the basil scatter with a few torn leaves to serve.
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