Lemon, fennel and chilli pork meatballs

I have definitely flicked that Christmas over eating switch. I need to reign it back in as it is only December 6th! I also want to lighten what I eat a bit. I absolutely want to make and eat food that denies the weather and speaks of brighter times. 

These meatballs are a perfect start. Have them with your carb of choice – pasta, rice, potatoes (pile them on a baked potato!), cous cous, or have them with your brunch eggs. I love meatballs with my eggs, they are the perfect vehicle for dragging through a runny egg yolk. These would be great in a sandwich too! Add some cheese and make a toastie or have them in a baguette. 

I originally made these with wild boar which I get from my farmers market but I fully understand that wild boar is not an easy meat to source. It is great if you can though, so do use it, but I also make these with pork. I make these gluten free and so the lightness that would normally come from bread, I add with some chickpea flour. The real joy of that experiment was that it gifted the meatballs a lovely crust.

Gluten Free Meatballs – use chickpea flour in place of soaked breadcrumbs 

Long before my doctor put me on this gluten free diet I have always had chickpea flour in my cupboard. I adore panelle, socca, all the different types of chickpea pancakes. It is so useful and versatile. I still dream about one I bought from a chickpea farmer at a market in Provence about 4 or 5 years ago. It was bright yellow and memories of socca in Nice from my youth prompted the purchase. It was incredible tasting so much of chickpea (which chickpea flour doesn’t often do). Gram flour from Indian shops is chickpea flour also.