Daoud Basha

These are Lebanese meatballs, named for a 19^th century governer of Mount Lebanon. It’s still just cool enough in the evenings to merit making proper hot dinners.

2 medium onions, grated

750g minced lamb

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

100g pine nuts

Vegetable oil

1 kg tomatoes

2 tsp sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp chilli flakes

3 cloves garlic

2 gadgets being used tonight – the grater blade on the food processor and the rice cooker. The boy still complains that making this is too fiddly – mainly because he has to roll the meatballs. We’re listening to a mesmerising radio programme about the Titanic and I think it’s nice to be doing something with our hands.

Grate the peeled onions using the food processor and drain the pulp. Mix it really well with the lamb, cinnamon and allspice (and salt and pepper). Get the boy to roll it into balls the size of a large walnut, and then press a small hole in it. He will push a couple of pine nuts into the hole and then cover it up, by rolling them over again. I think it is this that he finds fiddly, but if he doesn’t help we’ll eat late.

Pour some oil on a plate and roll the meatballs in it to coat, and then cook in an oven at 200/Gas 6 for 15-20 minutes. Get the rice on while this is cooking.

Cut the tomatoes and into big chunks and put them in the food processor with its regular blade. Ideally I would peel them but can’t face it and the food processor does a pretty good job. Add the garlic, chilli flakes, sugar and lemon juice (and a little more salt & pepper). Blitz until you get a smooth sauce.

Pour over the meatballs and give them another 25 – 30 mins in the oven. Spoon over the rice.

Now he’s eating them the boy can see the huge benefit of having pushed the pinenuts into the meatballs – they do have a crunch and flavour of their own. Apart from the sauce, he’s got away without a vegetable tonight.