Meat­balls Stroganoff with White Wine and Fresh Thyme

(serves 8)

1 pound each: ground lamb, ground pork
4 tbsps butter
2 tbsps flour
4 cloves gar­lic, minced
1 white onion, minced
1 pound white mush­rooms (or fan­cy if you like), chopped
1 cup white wine
2 cups beef stock
2 cups sour cream (or creme fraiche, or a mix­ture as I used)
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
salt and pepper

Mix your meats and form into 2‑inch balls, or what­ev­er size you like. Place on a plate and set aside.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the but­ter and add the flour. This is an ordi­nary roux, for thick­en­ing, so cook it but don’t burn it, until it’s gold­en and bub­bling. Now add the gar­lic, onions and mush­rooms and stir until they’re all mixed up in the roux. Add the white wine and stand back! Low­er the heat and stir, then add the beef stock, and stir until thick. Add the sour cream, thyme, salt and pep­per. Now gen­tly drop the meat­balls, in a close sin­gle lay­er, into the sauce. Cov­er light­ly, turn down the heat and sim­mer for 25 min­utes. You can stir and turn them occasionally.

Serve with but­tered noo­dles and steamed car­rots. Lovely.