The mysterious power of meatballs

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Posted at 12:35PM, 22 May 2008 by Jenni Muir - food writer

This week I had lunch with a friend - a professional cook newly married to an older gentleman - who confessed dinners were proving a bit of a challenge. The food that nourished her of an evening during her single years is not so appealing to her husband and she's amazed by the number of times she's had to turn out meat and two veg.

Now I don't know much about love, or indeed marriage. But I was pleased to be able to pass on the one thing I have learned about domestic bliss: meatballs. I could no sooner tell you why they work than explain the efficacy of reflexology. Anyone scientifically minded just has to accept that this is anecdotal evidence, but they do work.

Anyone scientifically minded just has to accept that this is anecdotal evidence, but meatballs do work.

Meatballs are more fun than spag bol, and more convenient than meatloaf, but they were never really part of my repertoire until I noticed that whenever we planned to eat at a certain restaurant my husband would go on and on about how he was looking forward to having the meatballs. So I started making them, and now they're the most requested supper at our house, and at my mother's, and increasingly at my friends' places.

It's not down to a particular recipe at all. The small fried meatballs I used to make are not the same as the big, fluffy baked ones I'm currently doing from Jill Dupleix's low fat book, but the resulting contentment seems to be the same.

It's not about the meat either. Sometimes it's beef, sometimes beef and pork, sometimes lamb. Turkey, chicken and tuna (Sicilian polpette - yum) work as well. A friend who refuses to buy mass-produced food has had great success with venison meatballs. Strangely too it doesn't seem to matter whether they're served with pasta, potatoes or rice.

The thing I like especially about meatballs is that it's easy to do a huge batch and freeze them - Susie Theodorou's book Can I Freeze It? gives several different meatball recipes to store, then new ideas for how to use them, from pasta bakes to noodle soups and an intriguing chicken meatball stir-fry with bok choy, shiitake and hoisin sauce. I normally do them fairly traditionally in tomato sauce, sometimes with a lot of other veg - squash, peppers, onions - added to it.

Two days after lunch with my friend an email arrived: 'Thank you so much, you were right, meatballs pronounced best meal ever, best meatballs ever, great compliments to the wife.' Turns out she'd cobbled them together from any mince-type stuff she could find in the freezer, including an old hamburger from the Co-op.

So there is no logic to it as far as I can see - got any theories? Scientists still can't explain why bumblebees can fly, so it may be some time before they turn their attention to the power of meatballs. But newlyweds should get onto them straight away.

Comments

Lolly

22 May, 6:32PM
Lolly

It's also a great way to get kids interested in cooking, my 5 and 6 year old godchildren passed a rainy Saturday afternoon making meatballs and were so pleased with temselves and with their own spaghetti and meatballs that they couldn't wait to do it again! Which we did on their next visit. Yum!

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cheesybug

25 May, 12:44PM
cheesybug

My husband also loves spaghetti and meatballs, a firm fav!

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Karen C

25 May, 2:27PM
Karen C

My 14 year old son would live on meatballs & pasta if I let him, especially home made ones

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Belinda

26 May, 12:22PM
Belinda

Yep, totally correct!! My other half would sell his shirt for homemade meatballs in tomato sauce. As a result, I always have a portion in the deepfreezer, which I wip out when he's feeling down ... success guaranteed !!!!!!!! Don't care about the science behind - it just works!

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Gayns

26 May, 5:12PM
Gayns

I actually cheat and use swedish meatballs(waitrose) and make my own tomato sauce from a Delia recipe and my husband loves them- brilliant easy evening meal and always a great winner- unfortunately I don't ever have any left to freeze though!!!

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Ger

27 May, 10:55PM
Ger

I totally agree! My meatball recipe is a combination of several recipes that I have refined over the years. I think the secret is a grated apple to make them nice and light. I make mini versions (the size of big marbles) for the kids and if I have any left over, well there is nothing like a meatball sandwich to cheer you up!

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Ori Hellerstein

28 May, 1:29PM
Ori Hellerstein

I love meatballs in anytime, anyway. With pasta or rice. But the best way, I think, is to pour over Tahini sauce mmm just perfect match ! you welcome to come and visit my blog . http://orihell.wordpress.com/

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Babu

25 August, 11:04AM
Babu

Yes talking about meatballs, I love meat balls and so do my chilren. I do make them in various ways like meatballs in a curry sauce or just fry them and have them in a sandwitch or in pita bread .

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