Black ‘n Blue Meatballs
Belted Galloway British Beef Meatballs with Black Garlic and Blackstick’s Blue in a Beef ‘n Onion Gravy with Black Sheep Ale and Applewood-Smoked Mash with Bone Marrow and Colman's English Mustard. Heights of comfort food.
The minced beef used in this recipe comes from Bilsdale Belties’ own herd of Belted Galloway, a hardy native breed that rough graze at Bilsdale in the North York Moors. The quality of the meat is excellent, with a superb depth of flavour and that recognisable grass fed taste. Arguably some of the best beef I’ve tasted!
900g Bilsdale Belties Belted Galloway Steak Mince
1 large onion, finely chopped (220g prepared weight)
10 cloves of black garlic (20g)
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
a small bunch of thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 tbsp Yorkshire rapeseed oil
2 tbsp Henderson’s Relish
80g Blackstick’s Blue cheese, diced into 20 cubes
freshly ground black pepper
Heat the rapeseed oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat then add the chopped onion, black garlic and herbs. Cook gently until the onion is completely soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the Henderson’s Relish and cold water, stir then simmer until the liquid has reduced, a few minutes. Place the contents of the pan into a large bowl, season to taste with smoked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then let the mixture cool completely.
When the mixture has cooled stir in the breadcrumbs then add the steak mince. Use your hands to scrunch the mixture together until well combined.
Use your hands to form 20 meatballs, place a piece of cheese in the centre of each meatball.
Place the meatballs on a tray and place in the fridge for at least half an hour before cooking. Meanwhile, make the gravy and mash.
To cook the meatballs, preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C (fan-assisted). Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on a large baking tray then place the meatballs on top evenly spaced apart. Cook the meatballs for 20 minutes until nicely browned.
Beef ‘n Onion Gravy with Black Sheep Ale
1 large onion, finely sliced
500ml beef stock (made from 1 Kallo organic beef stock cube)
1 tbsp bilberry jam (or seedless blackberry jam)
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat then add the sliced onion. Cook gently until the onion is golden. Whisk in 40g plain flour and stir for two minutes until the flour smells nutty. Gradually add the beer and beef stock while whisking. Followed by 250ml boiling water. Whisk in the Bovril, bilberry jam and malt vinegar. Simmer gently for 30 minutes whisking from time to time. Season to taste with Maldon smoked sea salt and white pepper.
Applewood-Smoked Mashed Potatoes with Bone Marrow and Colman’s Mustard
500g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tsp Colman’s English Mustard
Cameron stovetop smoker + applewood smoking chips
To smoke the potatoes, you need a Cameron stovetop smoker: Add a layer of applewood smoking chips in the base of the smoking tray then place the potatoes on top of the grill mesh. Place the lid on the smoker and smoke the potatoes for about 10 to 15 minutes until they’ve turned golden brown.
Place the smoked potatoes in a pan and cover with cold water, add some sea salt then bring to the boil and reduce to a steady simmer. Cook the potatoes for about 15 minutes then drain in a colander. Meanwhile, roast the bone marrow: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the bone on a roasting tray and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and scoop out the marrow then finely chop or mash it with a fork. Discard the bone (give it to your dog if you have one). Set aside until the potatoes are cooked. I use a ricer to ‘mince’ the cooked potatoes which results in smooth and fluffy mash, no lumps. In the same pan that you cooked the potatoes in, add the butter and milk. Add a good grating of nutmeg, about a teaspoon of Maldon sea salt and a good pinch of white pepper. Heat over a moderate heat until all the butter has melted then stir in the riced potatoes. Add the cooked chopped bone marrow and Colman’s mustard and stir again until everything is well incorporated. Season the mash to taste with sea salt and white pepper.
