Name: Paprika beef meatballs with sour cream and crisp onion
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 20 gm butter, diced; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 red banana chilli, finely chopped; 150 gm Swiss brown mushrooms, quartered; 1 heaped tbsp Hungarian-style sweet paprika; 1 tsp each hot paprika and smoked paprika; 150 ml dry white wine; 400 ml beef stock or chicken stock; 400 gm canned chopped tomatoes; 5 gm dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 60ml warm water for 20 minutes; ¼ cup coarsely copped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve; 2 tsp each finely chopped thyme and rosemary, plus extra leaves to serve; 200 gm sour cream, plus extra to serve; Paprika meatballs; 400 gm minced beef; 50 gm speck, diced; 35 gm (½ cup) fine fresh rye breadcrumbs; 90 ml milk; 1 egg; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 tsp Hungarian-style sweet paprika; ½ tsp each dried chilli flakes and caraway seeds; ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; ¼ tsp smoked paprika; Crisp onion; 1 small onion, thinly sliced into rings; For dusting: plain flour; 70 ml olive oil

Paprika beef meatballs with sour cream and crisp onion

Recipe for paprika beef meatballs with sour cream and crisp onion.

Serves 4

Prep

45M

Cook

1H 30M

Total

2H 15M

Serve these Hungarian-style meatballs with buttered egg noodles or even spätzle. The crisp onion on top is optional, but highly recommended.

Ingredients

20 gm butter, diced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red banana chilli, finely chopped

150 gm Swiss brown mushrooms, quartered

1 heaped tbsp Hungarian-style sweet paprika

1 tsp each hot paprika and smoked paprika

150 ml dry white wine

400 ml beef stock or chicken stock

400 gm canned chopped tomatoes

5 gm dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 60ml warm water for 20 minutes

¼ cup coarsely copped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve

2 tsp each finely chopped thyme and rosemary, plus extra leaves to serve

200 gm sour cream, plus extra to serve

Paprika meatballs

400 gm minced beef

50 gm speck, diced

35 gm (½ cup) fine fresh rye breadcrumbs

90 ml milk

1 egg

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tsp Hungarian-style sweet paprika

½ tsp each dried chilli flakes and caraway seeds

½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

¼ tsp smoked paprika

Crisp onion

1 small onion, thinly sliced into rings

For dusting: plain flour

70 ml olive oil

20 gm butter, coarsely chopped

Method

Main

1.For paprika meatballs, combine ingredients in a bowl, mixing lightly with your hands, and season to taste (don’t overwork the mixture). Roll into walnut-sized balls, place on a tray, cover and refrigerate to rest (30 minutes).

2.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160C. Heat butter and half the oil in an ovenproof casserole, add onion, garlic and chilli, and sauté until tender (5-6 minutes), then add Swiss brown mushrooms and sauté until just tender (1-2 minutes). Add spices, sauté until fragrant, then deglaze pan with wine and simmer until almost evaporated (1-2 minutes). Add stock, tomatoes, porcini and soaking liquid, and herbs. Season to taste.

3.Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add meatballs and brown all over (3-4 minutes). Add meatballs to sauce, bring to the boil, then transfer to oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until very tender and flavoursome (1-1¼ hours).

4.Meanwhile, for crisp onion, separate onion into rings and dust lightly in flour. Heat oil and butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and fry until crisp (3-4 minutes). Drain on paper towels and set aside.

5.Remove meatballs from oven and transfer 250ml sauce to a bowl. Add sour cream, whisk to combine, then return to meatballs and mix well. Serve meatballs and sauce hot topped with extra sour cream, crisp onion and herbs.