Porcupine Meatballs (a La Marocaine) with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I first tried porcupine meatballs at one of my friend's house and I liked it so much that I wanted to try making it myself and maybe adding an itty bitty Moroccan twist to the recipe.



Porcupine Meatballs

What You Need:

1 lb. of lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 egg
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes
water or beef broth
1/2 cup cheddar cheese for garnishing

What To Do:

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, rice, egg, parsley, and all the spice. Mix well.
2. Shape into medium-sized meatballs. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on both sides. (Better to work in batches so meat could brown properly).
4. In a baking pan, place the browned meatballs and cover with diced tomatoes, tomatoes sauce and 1/2 cup water or beef broth.
   
5. Bake in a 350 degrees preheated oven for 55 minutes until meatballs are tender and sauce is reduced.
   
6. In the last 10 min, sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted.
   

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

What You Need:

4 big russet potatoes
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 cup heavy cream, or half and half
1/4 Parmesan cheese
1 Tsp salt

What To Do:

1. Peel and dice potatoes (all same size so it cooks evenly). Place in a large saucepan, add salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes for about 25 min or until they fall apart when poked with a fork.
2. Heat the heavy cream and the garlic in a medium saucepan until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Remove the potatoes from heat and drain off the water. Mash well and add the garlic and cream mixture and Parmesan cheese. Stir well to combine.
   
4. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve.

Enjoy!

Porcupine Meatballs (a La Marocaine) with Garlic Mashed Potatoes