Madhouse recipe : Potato & Meatball Pan Fry

I'm stunned to say that this is based on a WeightWatchers recipe, admittedly with extra cheese ! The whole family loved it so it's definitely one that I'll be making again, especially as it's quick and simple and is great for sneaking extra veg onto the kids' plates. You can see the original WeightWatchers recipe on their website and here's my tweaked and slightly less healthy version.

Potato & Meatball Pan Fry

ingredients :

1 pack of pork, beef or turkey meatballs (or make your own if you have the time)

400g baby potatoes

1 large leek, sliced

1 courgette, diced

1 tsp cornflour

3 tbsp red onion chutney

250ml vegetable stock

250g cherry tomatoes

cheese (I used the last of the raclette cheese we had in the fridge but grated cheddar or mozzarella would be fine too)

In a large frying pan, fry the meatballs for several minutes until they are browned on all sides and cooked through to the middle. (You shouldn't need to add any extra oil.) Turn off the heat and reserve.

In the meantime, boil the baby potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes until tender when stabbed with a knife. Drain and reserve. In a separate pan (or the same one, once it's empty, if you want to save on washing up !), blanch the courgettes and leeks for a few minutes until they are just tender. Drain and reserve.

Take a large ovenproof dish and put in the leeks and courgettes, then scatter over the halved cherry tomatoes.

This is where I went rummaging in the cupboards to see what I'd have to make the sauce and came up with a jar of caramelised red onion chutney (which rather impressed me because it was exactly what was in the original recipe), a Knorr vegetable stock pot and some cornflour. Prepare the stock in a small pan, stir in the cornflour, then the chutney and simmer for a couple of minutes until it thickens and reduces slightly.

Add the meatballs to the dish once they're cooked and pour over the sauce.

Chop the potatoes in half and place over the top of the meatballs and veg.

Top with cheese. (This is the non-diet friendly part so you might want to skip this bit or replace with a lighter option like half-fat cheddar.)

Place under the grill for ten minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the rest of the ingredients are piping hot.

The whole family loved this and have told me I HAVE to make it again ! It's also great to make in advance when you need something to throw in the oven when you get home from work.

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Madhouse Winter Warmer recipe : Cheesy Baked Ziti with Kale

Madhouse recipe : Spicy Carrot Soup

Madhouse recipe : Aubergine, Chick pea & Tomato Stew