This is a monster of a dish if ever there was one. Take this on as a personal challenge or invite mates round and see who can get through it first. It’s a man’s meal (although I’ve eaten a few), and definitely a conversation starter if you go for the full-size meatball.
Ingredients
- 2 red onions, sliced into rings
- glug of rapeseed oil
- 4 bread rolls
- American-style mustard and ketchup (tomato sauce), to serve
Meatballs
- 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) minced (ground) beef
- 5½ oz (150 g) minced (ground) pork
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped oregano
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- sprig of rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1½ oz (40 g) smoked provolone
- glug of rapeseed oil
French Dip
- ½ red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 17 fl oz 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
- glug of red wine
- glug of worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- sprinkle of finely chopped oregano
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
- To make the meatballs, combine the two minced meats, garlic and herbs in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add the egg and breadcrumbs and mould into generous-sized balls (about the size of a tennis ball is good). Divide the smoked provolone into four even portions, shaping them into small balls as best you can before pushing one into the centre of each meatball. Ensure you re-mould the meat around the cheese, so it doesn’t escape during the cooking.
- Pour a glug of oil into a frying pan over medium–high heat and brown the meatballs all over. Transfer to a baking dish and cook in the oven for 5–10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- For the French dip, add the onion and carrot to the same frying pan and stir to scrape up all the meaty goodness (add an extra glug of oil if it seems too dry). Cook over medium heat until the onion softens, then add the beef stock, red wine, worcestershire sauce, mustard and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, increase the heat to high and cook for 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken slightly. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning, then transfer to a serving bowl.
- In a separate pan, fry the sliced red onions in a glug of oil until they soften and turn sticky.
- To serve, slice the rolls in half and warm in the oven for a minute or so, then spread one half with mustard, ketchup and onions. Top with a meatball and the other half of the roll. Dunk your meatball bap in French dip, then just try and get your chops around the whole thing!
