Annabel Karmel Recipes: Meatballs with tomato sauce

Britain's favourite children's food writer, Annabel Karmel, offers Raisingkids' readers some great recipe ideas for fussy kids.

These mini meatballs are delicious served on a bed of rice. They are simple to prepare and make a wonderful family meal. They also work well as finger food, served on their own without the sauce for younger children

Red meat provides the best source of iron and iron deficiency is the commonest nutritional deficiency in children. A deficiency in iron will result in difficulty concentrating and a shortened attention span. They're good served with rice or spaghetti.

Suitable for freezing.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes 5 portions

Meatballs:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
50 g (2 oz) red pepper, diced
450 g (1 lb) lean minced beef
1 apple, peeled and grated
50 g (2 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 chicken stock cube, finely crumbled
2 tbsp cold water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
plain flour, for dusting

Tomato sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
600 g (20 oz) chopped tomatoes (1 x 400 g + 1 x 200 g can)
1 1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup
6 tbsp water
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

To make the meatballs, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan and sauté the onion and red pepper for about 5 minutes or until softened. Mix together with all the other ingredients for the meatballs and chop for a few seconds in a food processor. Using floured hands, form the mixture into about 20 meatballs. Heat the rest of the vegetable oil in a frying pan and sauté the meatballs, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until browned and sealed.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the olive oil and sauté the red onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. You can add a little more water if the sauce thickens too much. Add the meatballs, half cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. You need to be careful when stirring the meatballs into the sauce as if you are too vigorous they may break up. Serve with rice.

Click here for Annabel's Trail Mix recipe - a great snack idea

Click here for Annabel's pot noodles recipe - good fast food

To buy Annabel Karmel's new title, The Fussy Eaters' Recipe Book, click here.

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