Vegetarian meatballs with tomato sauce and polenta

VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS, TOMATO SAUCE AND POLENTA

Output: about 35 units - Preparation time: 20 minutes - Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes

Ingredients

Dumplings

• 125 ml (1/2 cup) dried mushrooms
• 500 ml (2 cups) lentils, rinsed and drained
• 500 ml (2 cups) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 egg
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) breadcrumbs
• 45 ml (3 tbsp.) tomato paste
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) steak spice blend
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

The sauce

• 250 ml (1 cup) onion, chopped
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) olive oil
• 5 ml (1 tsp.) sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp.) herbes de Provence blend
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 500 ml (2 cups) tomato purée
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a bowl containing the mushrooms, pour 1 cup of water and let rehydrate for 15 minutes.
2. Rinse and drain lentils and kidney beans.
3. Drain mushrooms, reserving rehydration water for later. Finely chop the mushrooms.
4. Using a potato masher or your hands, mash the beans and lentils to form a lumpy purée.
5. Add egg, breadcrumbs, mushrooms, tomato paste, steak spices, salt and pepper.
6. Form into golf-ball-sized balls.
7. In a hot frying pan, over high heat, brown meatballs in olive oil, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
8. For the sauce, in the same pan, sauté the onion in the oil, stirring, for 5 minutes.
9. Add the sugar, herbes de Provence, garlic and tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
10. Add the meatballs and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick.

POLENTA

Portions : 4 - Preparation : 5 to 10 minutes - Cooking : 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 500 ml (2 cups) 2% milk
• 500 ml (2 cups) low-salt chicken broth
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) mushroom rehydration water
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) coarse salt
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 pinch herbes de Provence blend
• 375 ml (1 ½ cups) 275 gr -----250 gr cornmeal
• 60 ml (4 tablespoons) butter
• 500 ml (2 cups) ---150 gr gr grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Heat milk, stock, mushroom water and salt in a saucepan.
2. Add garlic and herbes de Provence and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Using a whisk, gradually pour in the semolina and stir to blend. Continue cooking, stirring, for around 5 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Stir in butter and cheese. Check seasoning.