There’s a bit of groundwork to be done here, but it’s worth the effort. If you want to cut corners, you could use cut-up sausages instead of making the meatballs, but it won’t be as healthy as using minced turkey, or probably as tasty.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 7 oz (200 g) small shallots, peeled and sliced in half
- 5 cups (1.25 litres) chicken stock
- 2 small or 1 large sweet potato (about 275 g/10 oz), peeled and diced into 1 cm [½in] cubes
- 3 sprigs thyme leaves
- 3½ oz (100 g) kale, tough stalks removed and ripped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
For the Meatballs
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- 9 oz (250 g) minced [ground] turkey thighs
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary needles
- 1 cup (50 g) fresh brown breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ Tbsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper
- plain [all-purpose] flour, to dust (if needed)
How to Make It
- Start by making the meatballs. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a low heat and sauté the onion and garlic gently for 8–10 minutes until really softened and tender. Once softened, turn off the heat and leave to cool in the pan.
- Tip the minced turkey into a mixing bowl and add the cooled onion mixture and all the remaining meatball ingredients. Using your hands, massage the mixture together to make sure everything is really well combined. Divide the mixture into 20 rough balls, place them on a plate and cover with cling film [plastic wrap], and chill in the fridge for an hour or so (or longer – you can do this well in advance). Once cold the meatballs will be easier to shape into neater balls, and you can use a dusting of flour on your hands if that helps, too.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan set over medium heat. Fry the shallots for 6–7 minutes, or until caramelized and turning golden, then tip them into a large saucepan, holding the oil back in the frying pan. Turn the heat up to high and let the frying pan get really hot, then add the meatballs and fry, turning frequently, until browned on the outside (you may need to do in batches). Tip those into the saucepan also.
- Add the stock, sweet potato and thyme to the saucepan, pop a lid on and bring the liquid to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Add the kale, Worcestershire sauce and mustard and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the kale has wilted down.
- Taste and season well with salt and black pepper, then ladle into warmed bowls, dividing the meatballs evenly between the bowls.
