Smoky Chipotle Beef Meatballs with Black Bean Salsa

I made these smoky chipotle meatballs for Sunday dinner last weekend and they went down a treat. This is a dish packed with flavour which definitely tastes better after a night in the fridge. The meatballs are rich and smoky with so much flavour. Chipotle, cumin, allspice, cloves and cinnamon spice the mince beautifully while red wine, dark chocolate, rich beef stock, cinnamon and bay add more depth to the sauce. With some fluffy white rice, a refreshing and zingy lime, black bean and pepper salsa, a dollop of cooling sour cream and some creamy avocado slices all add more texture and layers of flavour. One of my favourite recipes I’ve made recently. Make a big batch for your freezer and your future self will thank you later.

(Serves 6 to 7 - £2.06 per portion)

1. Put 750g lean beef mince in a large bowl with 50g chopped coriander, a handful of freshly made breadcrumbs, 1 large beaten egg, 1 heaped tbsp of chipotle paste, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Mix well with your hands and shape into large meatballs. Set aside.
2. Fry the meatballs in a large casserole pot in some olive oil until browned all over. Set aside leaving the caramelised oil in the bottom of the pan.
3. For the sauce, fry 2 chopped onions and a couple of sticks of celery in a large casserole pot over a medium heat with a little extra oil if you need until golden and soft. Add 3 sliced cloves garlic, and fry for a couple of mins before adding 1/2 tbsp tomato puree, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp mexican oregano. Stir and add 150ml good quality red wine, two bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 tins of plum tomatoes, and 300ml beef stock. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced slightly and thickened.
4. Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile make the black bean salsa. Add a can of drained black beans to a large bowl with 2 finely diced red peppers, 4 finely diced large tomatoes with the seeds removed, half a finely diced red onion, a large handful of coriander and the zest and juice of two limes with some salt. Taste and correct the seasoning.
6. Add 2 squares of 70% dark chocolate, 1/2 tsp caster sugar and 1 tsp marmite. Taste the meatballs and correct the seasoning if necessary.
7. Serve the meatballs with some steamed white rice, the salsa, some avocado slices and a dollop of sour cream. Grated cheddar and tortilla chips are also great additions.