Stuffed Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Mubattan Bruklu
Region: Tunisia
Category: Stews
Season: Any
Difficulty: Medium Difficulty

The name of this ragout in Tunisian Arabic means "hidden cauliflower."   The word mubattan means lined or filled, derived from the word "to hide."   And this is exactly what is done in this preparation.   Ground meat is molded by hand around the florets of cauliflower to form stuffed meatballs that are then cooked in sauce.   Even so, not all Tunisian cooks do this, sometimes they simply throw the two elements, the meat and the vegetable, into the sauce to cook together.   Some cooks also mix the ground meat with the mashed vegetable and form a ball out of that mixture.   This recipe can also be made with cooked artichoke hearts or pieces of cardoon or wild cardoon, called simmaq in Tunisian Arabic dialect, all stuffed inside meatballs.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 1:15 hours

For the meatballs
One medium-size head cauliflower (about 1 pound)     1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lamb, or veal     1 small onion, finely chopped     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon     1/2 bunch parsley, leaves only, finely chopped     1 1/2 teaspoons tabil		1 teaspoon salt and more to taste     1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and more to taste     6 cups olive oil or vegetable oil for frying     2 large eggs, beaten       All-purpose unbleached flour for dredging
For the sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil     2 tablespoons tomato paste     1 cup water		1 1/2 teaspoons harisa     1/2 teaspoon ground red chile

1. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the whole cauliflower until tender, about 10 minutes.   Drain well and break into small florets.

2. Place the meat, onion, cinnamon, parsley, tabil, salt, and pepper in a food processor, in batches if necessary, and process until well blended.    Remove to a bowl.

3. Take a lemon-size piece of meat and flatten it in your hand to make a thin patty, keeping your hands wet so the meat doesn't stick.   Place a cauliflower floret in the middle of the patty and surround it with the meat, molding the meat with your hands so the entire piece of cauliflower is enclosed.   Form this into an oval shape, then dip into the eggs and dredge in the flour, tapping off   any excess flour.

4. Preheat the frying oil in a deep-fryer or an 8-inch saucepan fitted with a basket insert to 375 degrees F.   Cook the meatballs until golden, about 4 minutes, without crowding the fryer.   Drain and set aside.

5. In a casserole, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat with the tomato paste dissolved in the water and with the harisa and red chile, seasoning with salt and pepper.   Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.   Add the meatballs and cook, covered, until very little sauce remains, about 25 minutes, but add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is drying out before that time.   Serve the meatballs covered with the remaining sauce.

Variation: 

Note: 

Posted: 01/11/2007

Needed Recipes:

Harisa

Tabil- A Tunisian Spice Mix