Cajun meatballs

• butter↗2 tbsp tbsp
• plain flour↗2 tbsp tbsp
• onion↗1 1

  finely chopped

• green pepper↗1 1

  deseeded and finely chopped

• celery↗2 2

  sticks, finely chopped

• garlic cloves↗2 2

  chopped

• bay leaf↗1 1
• can plum tomato↗400g 400g
• chicken stock cube↗1 1
• dash of Tabasco sauce

  or hot pepper sauce

• spring onions↗4 4

  finely sliced

• handful coriander

  roughly chopped

• rice or mash↗

  to serve

• Cajun seasoning1 tbsp 1 tbsp
• pack turkey mince↗500g 500g
• vegetable oil↗1 tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the butter in a pan over a low heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring all the time to make a roux. Cook until the roux is hazelnut brown in colour – make sure that it doesn’t burn. Tip in the vegetables, garlic and bay leaf, stir briefly, then pour in the tomatoes and 1½ cans of water. Crumble in the stock cube, add the hot sauce, then cover and cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally, while you make the meatballs.

2. 2

   Work the spice and some seasoning into the turkey mince. Try not to over-handle or it will toughen. Shape into 20 meatballs.

3. 3

   Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and quickly brown the meatballs in batches until they are nicely coloured on all sides.

4. 4

   Stir the sauce, then drop in the meatballs and cook on a low heat for 10 mins until the turkey is cooked through. Scatter over the spring onions and coriander, and serve with some rice or mash.