Snapping and scoffing.
I’ve had my camera a couple of years and have loved every minute of using it, and while I was pleased with how far I’d come teaching myself photography, I felt I’d reached a wall.
The Plate to Pixel book by Helene Dujardin started to help me climb it, but I’m one of those folk that needs to be taught technical ‘stuff’ face to face or it just doesn’t sink in. So, after some searching, I booked myself on a photography course with LSP and took my knowledge on leaps and bounds.
The course was a revelation — understanding how to be in complete control of my camera and the light in any given situation, and to get what I want to out of a shot. Between that and my new macro lens, I’m a pig in the proverbial, as I hope you can tell here with these two shots of todays dinner — saucy Greek meatballs.
You can give the classic meatball a bit of a Mediterranean twist very easily by adding a little Greek seasoning. My own blend is just £2.50 from my online shop, and it creates a meatball with a delicious herby flavour that loves being simmered in a pot of fresh tomato sauce. Enjoy them with salad, tzatziki and some warmed pitta breads for a tasty meal around the table with family and friends.
For two
- 500g steak mince, you could use lean, but for these I like to use standard as in the fat there is flavour and succulence
- 400mls pasatta
- 300mls white wine
- Around 10 tomatoes, blended in a food processor
- 1 large red onion, sliced, sautéed in butter and oil until soft and left to cool
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- Oil for flying
- Olive oil for cooking
- Butter
- Yogurt, olive oil and freshly cut parsley for serving
- 2.5 tbsp my Greek seasoning blend, or here’s a simple blend recipe below:
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules
Method
- In to a food processor place the onions and seasoning, blend until smooth. Then add the mince, a couple of tablespoons of cooking olive oil and blend until smooth and combined.
- Form in to meatballs and fry gently in batches in some frying oil and butter, until they brown all over.
- In a saucepan fry the red pepper in a little olive oil on a medium heat until it softens and begins to char a little. Then add the wine, fresh tomatoes, pasatta, a little salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Place the meatballs into the pot to cook through for about 6 minutes.
- Serve stuffed inside hot pitta breads with a greek salad and tzatziki.