Great textured meatballs, a wonderfully fragrant indulgent butter sauce with a simple seasonal pumpkin bake and crunchy topping.

Ingredients

Makes: 12 to 15 balls

Meatballs

  • 150g fresh breadcrumbs
  • 50g full fat milk, from the fridge
  • 300g minced turkey,
  • 100g minced pork, 15% fat
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Small handful coriander leaf and stems, finely sliced
  • 1 tsp dried methi leaves
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 medium organic egg

Butter 'Makhani' Sauce
Makes: Sauce for 15 balls

  • 75g cashew nuts
  • 175g hot water
  • 15g ginger, no need to peel
  • 75g butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 25g Green Saffron Turkey Delight blend or Crackin’ Curry Powder
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tblsp tomato paste
  • 100g cream

Method

Meatballs

  1. Set your oven to Gas mark 4, 180°C
  2. Mix the milk into the crumb. Set aside for 10 minutes then combine with all the other ingredients.
  3. Roll the mixture into slightly smaller than golf ball sized rounds, place onto a grease proof paper lined baking tray then bake for 25 to 30 minutes until only just cooked through. Set aside.

Butter 'Makhani' Sauce

  1. Soak the nuts in the hot water for 15 minutes. Then pop these and all the liquid into a food processor, add the ginger, blitz to a smooth paste. Set aside.
  2. Melt 25g of the butter in a large saucepan, when foaming add the onion and gently fry until soft but not coloured. Add the spice blend, cayenne pepper, stir for half a minute, then add the tomato paste and gently cook for about 8 to 10 minutes
  3. Add the nut paste, remaining butter, cream, stir well and continue to cook gently for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the meatballs into the sauce and gently cook for a final few mins, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Assembly:

  1. Slice up a small pumpkin into wedges, something like a Kombucha, Delicata or Turk's Head are my favourites a butternut squash is also fine. Rub with cayenne pepper, white pepper, salt, cumin and oil. Roast for about 35 mins until just wilting and soft.
  2. Toast and skin a good handful of hazelnuts, roughly chop, mix with lemon zest. Set aside.
  3. On a large, warmed platter place the meatballs to one side, coat with a little sauce. Pile up the pumpkin wedges to the other side, sprinkle with the zesty nuts, crumble over a square of paneer cheese, about 25g to 40g and serve (family style) with a jug of sauce to the side. Enjoy!