Sicilian Beef Polpette over Warm Lentils with Currants and Pine Nuts
A small batch of Sicilian-style polpette — beef meatballs gently spiced with oregano and lemon zest — over warm brown lentils studded with currants and toasted pine nuts. Sicilian agrodolce in a lunch portion, with the beef-and-lentil pairing covering both heme and non-heme iron in one plate.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 1
Ingredients
- 90g (raw)lean grass-fed ground beef
- 70g (cooked)brown lentils
- 60gbaby spinach
- 60gcrushed tomato (canned)
- 8gpine nuts
- 8gdried currants
- 2tsp (10g)extra virgin olive oil
- 1clove (3g)garlic, minced
- 1tsp (2g)lemon zest
- 1tbsp (15g)lemon juice
- 1/2tsp (1g)dried oregano
- 1tbsp (4g)flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4tsp (1.5g)sea salt
- 1/8tspblack pepper
Instructions
- 01
In a small bowl, combine the ground beef with the lemon zest, half the parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix briefly and form into 6 small meatballs (each about 15g).
- 02
Toast the pine nuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until just golden. Remove to a plate.
- 03
Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to the same skillet. Add the polpette and brown on all sides, 4 minutes total. Lift to a plate.
- 04
Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil and the garlic. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomato and currants. Simmer 2 minutes.
- 05
Add the cooked lentils and 2 tablespoons of water. Return the polpette to the skillet. Cover and simmer 4 minutes — the polpette finish cooking through, the lentils soak up the sauce.
- 06
Pile the spinach on top. Cover for 1 minute to wilt. Stir gently. Plate and finish with the lemon juice, toasted pine nuts, and remaining parsley.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 505kcal
- Protein
- 33g
- Carbs
- 32g
- Fat
- 24g
- Fiber
- 8g
- Selenium
- 25mcg
- Zinc
- 5.6mg
- Iron
- 6.7mg
- B12
- 2.3mcg
- Iodine
- 5mcg
- Sodium
- 580mg