Mixed salad with aromatic meatballs

A salad which can be served as a side dish but also as a light main meal

Ingredients (for 2 people)

For the meatballs:
300gr. of ground beef
3 slices of white stale bread (no crust)
1 small onion, grated
½ clove of garlic, minced
a pinch of ground cumin
2 tbsp of ouzo
4 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 egg
salt
pepper
flour for dusting
frying oil

For the salad:
1 handfull of rocket leaves, roughly chopped (washed and dried)
1 ripe but firm tomato, cut in quarters
120gr. small white button mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
100gr. of Greek Kefalograviera cheese, cut in cubes (or other semihard and semisalted cheese)
2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, finely snipped (from a sachet)
3 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

Method:
Soak the bread in some water for a few minutes and then squeeze very well in your palms.

Put the bread in a bowl and then add the meat, the cumin, the onion, the parsley, the egg, the ouzo and season with salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients with your hands until they are well blended.

Get quantities of the meat mixture and shape into small size balls and leave aside on a dish. Warm the oil in a spacious heavy-bottomed frying pan on medium heat.

Lightly dust the meatballs in the flour and fry, in batches, in the hot oil turning them around until they are golden brown on all sides. Transfer the meatballs on kitchen paper to drain.

Place the rocket leaves on a serving platter. On top scatter the sun-dried tomatoes and the fresh tomato. Scatter the cheese cubes and the mushrooms (if used) and drizzle on top with the oil and the balsamic vinegar. Place the meatballs on top and serve immediately.

Note: You can substitute the rocket leaves with Romain lettuce or Iceberg instead of rocket leaves