Pate and Beef Meatballs, Beet Puree

Pate and beef meatballs. A delightful concoction that comes when you run out of things to put in your meatballs to really differentiate them. Give them a bit of x-factor. These meatballs, paired with a beetroot puree laced with oregano. To sit between them, a tangy caramelized onion and leek. Simple. Balanced. Delicious.

Ingredients

3 Large Beets, peeled and cut into chunks

1 Swede, peeled and cut into chunks

40g Butter

Whole milk

500g Beef Mince

100g Pork Liver Pate

1 Teaspoon Tomato Paste

1 and a 1/2 Bulbs of Garlic, broken into cloves, 6 peeled and chopped

2 Teaspoons of Dried Oregano

1/4 Cup of Rolled Oats

1 Large Egg

2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika

2 Leeks cut into rings

2 Onions, peeled and finely sliced

2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Watercress

Red Wine Vinegar

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Method

Boil the cloves of garlic for 15 minutes in a small pot. Once done, peeled and roughly chop.

Then, In a large mixing bowl, mix together the beef, pate, oregano, rolled oats, egg, boiled garlic, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of paprika and a big lug of olive oil. Add a generous sprinkling of salt and a few good grinds of pepper. Mix until well combined. Form into balls about the size of large cherries, then set aside.

In a large pot, put the beetroot and swede. Cover with milk, put in the butter and 1 teaspoon of paprika then simmer on the lowest heat possible until the beet and swede are really tender. Once tender, blend the mixture until smooth, then slowly reduce until folds in the puree stay there. Season well. Take off heat for the next part.

In a frying pan with a lug of olive oil, saute the leeks, onions and garlic until soft and browning. Once tender, add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar along with it. Cook out the moisture, then add salt and pepper to season. Remove once done. Use the same pan to fry the meatballs in a bit of olive oil until cooked through.

Serve the meatballs and caramelized leek on a bed of the puree. Sprinkle with peppery watercress and a touch of salt and pepper.

Enjoy!