Meatballs fricassée with celery and leeks in egg-lemon sauce

The popular Greek meatballs in a delicious recipe ideal for the upcoming cold months! A tasty, healthy and hearty dish to enjoy with the family along with a good red wine. Don't forget to have plenty of fresh country style bread at the table to dip in the luscious creamy sauce!

Slightly adapted from a recipe of Dina Nikolaou,

a prominent Head Cook and restaurateur

from "Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2009)



Ingredients (for 4 people)

For the meatballs:
3 slices of stale bread, crust-less
800gr. of ground pork
1 yellow onion, grated
1 tea-cup of flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 eggs
4-5 tbsp of all-purpose flour
frying oil
salt
pepper

For the vegetables:
1/2 tea-cup of olive oil
700gr. of celery stalks (with their leaves), peeled and cut in medium rings
4 large leeks (the white part and the tender green part), cut in medium rings
3-4 tbsp of finely snipped dill
salt
pepper

For the sauce:
2 eggs
1 large lemon, the juice and the zest

Method:
Soak the bread in some water, drain as much as possible and put in a large bowl.

Add the meat, the onion, the parsley and the eggs, season with salt and pepper and knead the ingredients very well with your hands. Shape the mixture into small balls and then pass them through the flour.

Fry the meatballs in plenty of oil on high heat for about 5 minutes, turning them around frequently until they get a nice golden colour. Transfer with a slotted spoon on kitchen paper and leave to drain. Leave aside for later.

In a wide pot warm the oil in medium-low heat, add the celery and the leeks and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the vegetables for 7-10 minutes until they are slightly softened and then add 3 ½ tea-cups of warm water.

Turn the heat up to medium, cover with the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. Turn the heat down again to medium-low and add the meatballs and the dill. Semi-cover with the lid and cook until the celery is cooked through.

During the last few minutes of cooking beat the eggs in a bowl until they are fluffy and frothy. Gradually add the lemon juice and zest and continue beating.

Get 1 tea-cup of the food juices from the pot and slowly add it into the egg/lemon sauce while you keeping beating.

When the mixture becomes creamy empty it into the pot, switch off the heat and shake the pot so the sauce will cover the food properly.

Serve immediately.