When we go on vacation, especially in places we never been before, we love to experience and taste local dishes. Usually, we skip the “tourist restaurants” and look for small restaurants that locals dine at. Fortunately, all of us like to experience new flavors. The way my young son choose from the menu is by finding a dish he has never had before. When we are back from such a vacation after experiencing a culinary adventure of tastes and flavors, i usually prepare a dish that reminds me of home. A kind of conditioned reflex that says, "We're back." When I made meatballs with fennel and green peas for dinner the night we returned, my young son said “dad, I kind of missed your cooking”...
Ingredients
meatballs
1 ½ lb ground beef
1 white onion cut to quarters
3 garlic cloves
1 cup parsley
1 cup cilantro
1 potato grated
½ cup penco
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ras el hanout
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 red onion diced
3 garlic cloves minced
3 celery stalks cut to 1 inch pieces
1 fennel sliced
2 cups frozen green peas defrosted
1 green hot pepper (optional)
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ras el hanout
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
In a food processor with metal blade chop the white onion, 3 garlic cloves, parsley and cilantro.
Place the ground meat in a large bowl. Add the chopped herb mix, grated potato, penco and meatballs’ spices and mix well. Cover and refrigerated for 1 hour. Take out and make balls the size of golf ball.
In a deep pan (or pot) heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add red onion and fry until transparent. Add garlic and green hot pepper and fry 1 more minute. Add celery sticks, fennel, green peas and the spices and stir. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add 2-3 cups of water and bring to boil. Add the meatballs, lower heat and cook for 1 hour.
