Sage & Onion Stuffing Meatballs

We love stuffing in this house but even without a turkey, goose or duck to stuff this Christmas we weren't going without. So I decided to make a classic sage and onion stuffing but in meatball form so it was easy to serve. I ate one of those straight from the oven it was so moreish. The key to a truly great stuffing is taking the time to cook the onions down, especially when they are a key ingredient as in the case of a sage and onion stuffing. This is made with sourdough bread, brandy and cream. It's strange to say this because we have so many other, more elaborate things on the menu but this is always one of my favourite things.

Sage & Onion Stuffing

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour chilling time

Cooking time: 25 minutes + 15 minutes

• 50g/1.7ozs butter
• 2 brown or white onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped sage
• 50ml/1.7flozs brandy
• 400ml/14flozs cream
• 300g/10.6fozs sourdough bread, crusts removed and blitzed in food processor
• Salt and pepper to season
• Oil spray

Step 1 - Heat half of the butter in a large frypan on medium heat and add the onions. Allow them to cook slowly without browning or burning, adding more butter when it is needed. When they're soft and translucent and smell sweet add the garlic and sage and fry for a minute.

Step 2 - Add the brandy to the pan and simmer for a couple of minutes and deglaze any bits of onion or garlic stuck to the pan. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the bread and stir so that the onion and cream mixture mixes well with the bread. It should soak up all the liquid. At this stage you can cool and then stuff a turkey or chicken with this. Or I chill the mixture for an hour and then shape them into large meatballs. Place on a parchment lined tray, spray with oil spray lightly and bake them in a 180C/350F oven for 20-25 minutes.