Meatballs of the Woodlands, which is to say Italian Venison meatballs in a creamy mushroom sauce, excellent nosh on a cold winter’s night. Serve with a good, rich Merlot.
Ingredients.
2 slice white bread, crusts off.
A little milk.
400g venison, minced.
4 cloves garlic, crushed.
4 tablespoons cashews, minced.
¼ cup grated parmesan [or ripe cheddar] cheese.
2 tablespoons rubbed origanum.
Salt and pepper to taste.
50g butter.
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped.
1 sprig rosemary, leaves stripped from the twig and finely chopped.
Salt and pepper to taste.
400g mushrooms, finely chopped.
½ cup Marsala.
½ cup cream.
Method.
Soak the bread in enough milk to just cover. After five minutes, pour off the excess and place the bread in a bowl. Add the meat, garlic, cashews, cheese, origanum, salt and pepper and beat together until evenly and thoroughly mixed. Place on a tray and refrigerate for at least an hour. Remove, form into meatballs and place on an oiled oven tray; this quantity should yield about 36 meatballs. Preheat the oven to 180°C. and bake the meatballs for 40 minutes, turning once during that time.
Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt the butter over a medium flame. Add the onion, salt and pepper and the finely chopped rosemary and stir through. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add the mushrooms. Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes then add the Marsala, turn up the heat and allow to bubble for 3-4 minutes then add the cream.
Place the meatballs in a bowl and pour the mushroom mixture over them, and either serve over pasta pr with roast potatoes on the side.
Serve with: Pasta and a salad, or roast potatoes and vegetables on the side.
Serves: 4.
Poddimok 