Baked Mexican Pork Meatballs with Salsa Verde

, from Issue #85. July, 2019
Photography by Kate Battersby.
Baked Mexican Pork Meatballs with Salsa Verde

The Mexican version of salsa verde is made with tomatillos, onions, lime and coriander and is the perfect sauce for these tasty pork meatballs. 

 

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large brown onion, 
thinly sliced
1 green capsicum, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt 
400 grams salsa verde 
(I used Tio Pablo) 
Meatballs
1 large egg, size 7
¼ cup sour cream, plus extra for serving
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup coriander leaves, plus extra for serving
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 long green chilli, finely chopped, plus extra 
for serving
600 grams pork mince
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
To serve
100 grams feta cheese
1-2 limes, cut into wedges 

 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

Sauce: Heat the oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan and add the onion, capsicum and salt. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the salsa verde and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and set aside while you make the meatballs. 

Meatballs: Whisk the egg and sour cream together in a large bowl then stir in the breadcrumbs. Leave for 10 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the parmesan, and combine well. The mixture will be quite soft.

Scoop out into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them directly in the sauce. 

Scatter the parmesan over the top and bake for about 30 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked through.

To serve: Dollop the extra sour cream over the top of the meatballs then crumble over the feta, coriander and sliced green chilli. Serve with lime wedges. 


Cook’s note: Salsa verde is available at supermarkets and good food stores.