Herby pork meatballs with cucumber salad
These speedy pork meatballs are rolled in a herby breadcrumb coating and served with a sweet, sharp cucumber salad. A superb summer supper.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 500g/1lb 2oz pork mince
- 50g/1¾oz dried white breadcrumbs
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the coating
- 20g/¾oz fresh parsley, leaves only
- 20g/¾oz fresh dill, fronds only
- 20g/¾oz fresh mint leaves, leaves only
- 1 small lemon, zest only
- 1 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp American mustard
For the cucumber salad
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled into wide ribbons and seeds removed
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
Method
Put all the meatball ingredients except the oil into a bowl, season generously with salt and pepper and mix well with your hands until thoroughly combined. Roll the mixture into about 20 small balls.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the balls for 15–20 minutes, turning regularly until golden-brown and cooked through.
Meanewhile, put the herbs and breadcrumbs for the coating into a blender and blitz to a fairly fine crumb. Scatter over a small tray.
Make the cucumber salad by tossing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
Put the mustard in a large bowl. When the meatballs are cooked, transfer to the bowl and roll around until they are sticky and lightly coated in the mustard. Roll one at a time in the herb crumb and serve warm with the cucumber salad.