This is a lovely recipe:
1. Put the onions in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Put the beef, lemon zest, spices, parsley and half the onions in a large bowl, and season. Using your hands, mix until well combined, then shape into walnut-sized balls.
2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof dish, or tagine with a lid, then add the remaining onions, ginger, chilli and saffron. Cook for 5 mins until the onion is softened and starting to colour. Add the lemon juice, stock, tomato purée and olives, then bring to the boil. Add the meatballs, one at a time, then reduce the heat, cover with the lid and cook for 20 mins, turning the meatballs a couple of times.
3. Remove lid. Cook, uncovered, for a further 10 mins until the liquid has reduced and thickened slightly.
Serve hot with couscous or fresh crusty bread.
Ingredients
• 3 onions , peeled
• 500g minced beef
• zest of 1 unwaxed lemon (not too much), juice of half
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch pepper
• small bunch parsley , chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• thumb-sized piece ginger , peeled and grated
• 2 twists chilli flakes
• pinch saffron strands
• 250ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 100g pitted green olives
• couscous or fresh crusty bread, to serve