Sweet ’n’ Sour Meatballs

These are really, really delicious - similar to the Hawaiian Meatballs recipe I published a couple of weeks ago, but with thinly sliced vegetables, soy sauce, and 

homemade pork meatballs. 

Served with lightly buttered rice, this dish is perfect for serving guests or as an everyday meal. These cook up nicely on a hot plate, too.

Sweet ’n’ Sour Meatballs:

To Prepare the Meatballs:

1-1/2 lb. (0.7 kg) ground pork

1 small onion, chopped fine

1/2 c. (125 mL) mushrooms, canned and drained or sliced and fried in a little butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) salt

Dash pepper

1 tbsp. (15 mL) sherry

2 tbsp. (25 mL) soy sauce

2 tbsp. (25 mL) cornstarch

1 tsp. (5 mL) granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Have all ingredients prepared and arrayed before beginning. In medium bowl, working with clean hands, combine pork, onion, salt, and pepper. In small bowl, stir together sherry, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar. Add to pork mixture, once again working with clean hands until well combined. Form into balls of about 1/2 in. (1.3 cm). Place on parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake 20 min., turning once. Blot away fat, adding to sauce as recipe instructs.

No oven where you’re cooking? Fry ’em - but expect far more mess and far more fat. Not my preferred method, for sure ... Removing meatballs with a slotted spoon helps. Blot away fat before adding to hot sauce.

To Prepare the Sauce:

Juice from one 19 fl. oz. (540 mL) can pineapple chunks, fruit reserved

3 tbsp. (45 mL) canola oil

2 tbsp. (25 mL) brown sugar

1 tsp. (5 mL) salt

1/2 tsp. (2 mL) pepper

1/4 c. (60 mL) white vinegar

2 medium-sized carrots, angle-sliced thinly

2 green bell peppers (“capsicums”), seeded and slivered

1 medium tomato, sliced into wedges

1/2 c. (125 mL) cold water

2 tbsp. (25 mL) cornstarch

To a medium skillet, add pineapple juice, oil, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Stir to combine, simmering until bubbles form on surface. Stir in carrots and bell peppers, cooking 1 min. Add tomato wedges, pineapple, and meatballs, simmering until heated through. In small bowl, gradually add cold water to cornstarch, mixing with a fork until smooth. Gradually stir into sauce mixture, cooking until slightly thickened. Serve at once. Makes enough for 4.