- 2 large potatoes
- 2 parsnips
- 1 apple
- 2 shallots
- A handful of thyme
- A pack of pork mince
- A bag of breadcrumbs
- A bag of kale
- A tub of half fat crème fraîche
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- A drizzle of olive oil
- 100ml cold water
- Pan with a lid
- Frying pan
- A couple of colanders or a colander and a steamer basket
- 1.
Fill the kettle and boil it. Peel and chop the potatoes into evenly sized chunks. Peel and chop the parsnips into matching chunks.
- 2.
Fill a pan with hot water from the kettle. Add the potatoes, parsnips and a pinch of salt. Cover. Bring to the boil. Turn down the heat. Simmer for 20 mins till the veg are tender.
- 3.
Quarter the apple. Slice out the cores. Coarsely grate it. Peel and grate the shallots. Rinse the thyme. Pat dry. Pick the leaves from the stalks.
- 4.
Tip the pork mince into a bowl. Add the apple, shallot, breadcrumbs and half the thyme. Season. Gently knead with your hands to mix together. Shape into 14-16 small round balls.
- 5.
Warm a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the meatballs. Fry them over a medium heat for 10 mins till they're browned all over. Turn every so often while they cook.
- 6.
Rinse the kale. Pick the soft leaves off the thick middle core. Pop the leaves in a colander or steamer basket. Set it over the potatoes and parsnips. Cover. Steam for 4-5 mins or till tender.
- 7.
Take the meatballs off the heat. Add most of the crème fraîche and 100ml cold water to the pan. Stir in the rest of the thyme and some salt and pepper. Stir to mix. Pop on a low heat and very gently warm - if it gets too hot, the crème fraîche may split (which is fine to eat but wont look petty).
- 8.
Drain the potatoes and parsnips. Mash them with the rest of the crème fraîche. Serve with the meatballs and kale, sprinkled with the last of the thyme.