Turkey & Sweet Corn Meatballs With Roasted Pepper Sauce

blucoat's Note:

This is a delicious recipe from a wonderful cookbook called "Ottolenghi: The Cookbook." based on recipes from the famed London restaurant. The meatballs are great served warm or room temperature, on rice, couscous, or noodles, stuffed in a pita, and especially dipped in the sweet and spicy pepper sauce! The instructions are detailed so look long, bu these are actually very easy to make,

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Meatballs

• 4 ounces sweetcorn (a little less than 1 cup or 100g ,fresh or frozen)
• 3 slices day-old white bread , crusts removed
• 1 lb ground turkey breast (500g) or 1 lb ground turkey (500g)
• 1 egg
• 4 scallions or 4 spring onions , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• sunflower oil , for frying

Roasted pepper sauce

• 4 red bell peppers , quartered with the white parts and seeds removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ounce cilantro , leaves and stalks (about 12 sprigs or 25g)
• 1 garlic clove , peeled
• 1 small mild chile , de-seeded
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar or 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a roasting tray, toss peppers with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, then roast in the oven for 35 minutes or until soft. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with cling film to cool. (You can peel them if you want but it's not necessary.) Place them in a blender or food processor with their roasting juices and add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Process until smooth, then taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Set aside.
2. For the meatballs, place a heavy, non-stick frying pan over a high heat and throw in the corn kernels. Toss them in the hot pan for 2-3 minutes until lightly blackened. Remove and leave to cool.
3. Soak the bread in cold water for a minute, then squeeze well and crumble into a large bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the sunflower oil and mix well with your hands.
4. Pour a 1/5 inch (5mm) depth of sunflower oil into your heavy frying pan. Allow it to heat up well and then fry about a teaspoonful of the turkey mix in it. Remove, let cool a little and then taste. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper in the uncooked mixture to your liking.
5. With wet hands, shape the turkey mix into balls, about the size of golf balls. Cook them in small batches in the hot oil, turning them around in the pan until they are golden brown allover. Transfer to an oven tray, place in the oven at 400°F and cook for about 5 minutes. When you press one with your finger, the meat should bounce back. If unsure, break one open to check that it is cooked inside. Serve hot or warm, with the pepper sauce on the side.