These meatballs with creamy port sauce are another old fashioned Nombelina experiment. I had never made a sauce with port and cream before and was afraid it might split. The end result was so delicious, I just had to share the recipe.
- Ingredients for the meatballs (12-14 balls):
- 1 lb / 500g ground meat, 50% beef 50% pork
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- Nutmeg, to taste
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Ingredients for the sauce:
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup tawny port
- ½ cup cream
- 2 Tbs parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 Tbs cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbs cold water
- Optional: extra splash of port
Fry the onion until soft and golden. Leave to cool.
Mix the ground meat with the nutmeg, salt, pepper, egg, onion and breadcrumbs. Roll into little meatballs and brown them in a skillet or oven (20 min at 370°F/190°C).
Place the meatballs into a heavy pan with a lid and add the chicken stock and port. Leave to simmer for half an hour with the lid ajar, so some of the moisture and alcohol can escape. Turn the meatballs halfway through.
When the stock and port have reduced by about half, it’s time to finish the sauce. Add the cream and let it lightly simmer to thicken. Add a splash of port for an intensified port flavor and simmer along for a couple of minutes.
Add the cornstarch to thicken and season with salt, peper and fresh parsley.
As cream tends to mute flavors somewhat I added the extra dash of port. We ate these delicious meatballs with creamy port sauce with goose fat roasted potatoes and braised red cabbage.
