Meat Balls

My sister Susan is a wonderful cook. When we were younger I looked up to her so much, still do. She was my idol. She was an awesome cook, the fancy Martha Stewart type cook. When she gives me a recipe, I know it will be great!
One year I was writing a recipe book for my children and one of my God daughters. My sisters, sister-in-law and friends all contributed recipes. One of the recipes Susan gave me was for Gourmet Pork Sliders or Burgers. I have never used the recipe as intended, but instead, we have enjoyed the recipe as meat balls. I had to make a minor modification to ketofy it but they are just as awesome!
Just a little story about my sister Susan before I give you this wonderful recipe. I want you to understand why I hold her so dear to my heart. Susan is a wonderful sister and has always included me, made me feel appreciated and loved. My parents wanted to send me to Private School but I was having none of it! Susan offered to change schools and go with me, even though it was her graduating year. Left all of her friends behind! She wrote my valedictorian speech for me in high school, typed all of my papers in university and was always there for me when I needed her. One day, soon after she had started working and making money she came home from downtown with shopping bags. She pulled a cute little green zip up hoodie out of her bags and showed it off to me. It was so adorable that I blurted out "you should have bought me one too!" To my surprise and enormous glee she quickly whipped a second hoodie out of her bags and handed it to me. One of the best moments of my teenage years! In that moment I felt beautiful and loved. I will never forget what a wonder sister she has been.
Okay, enough about that, wipe away your tears! Time to cook!

Meat Balls
Meat balls
Recipe

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 Cup finely chopped onion

1 clove minced garlic 

1 1/2 pounds ground meat (1/2 pound each of veal/pork/beef is the tastiest blend)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons soya sauce

1 Tablespoon of oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Psyllium husks if needed to hold meatballs together 

1/2 teaspoon or more of guar gum to thicken gravy. 

Sauté the onions and minced garlic in the olive oil until soft. Remove from heat and cool.

Mix the Meats, with the remainder of the ingredients, adding the cooled onion and garlic mixture. You can add a tablespoon or so of psyllium husks to meat mixture to dry the mixture out, if too sticky. You just want the mixture to stick together well. Mix until well blended. 

Use a small scoop to scoop out a small ball of meat and then roll the balls in your hand to make them nice and round.

Fry meatballs in batches in a large nonstick frying pan. Once all of the meat balls are cooked remove from pan and make a gravy with the remnants in the pan.

Gravy

 Do not clean the frying pan, You want to leave all the fat and bits in the pan to add flavour to the gravy.

Add about 2 Cups of water to the frying pan.

Bring to a small boil and scrape the pan drippings and meat pieces off the bottom with a wooden spoon. 

Once all the pieces are scraped loose you can add about 1-1 /2 Tablespoons of Beef liquid Bovril to the liquid.

Add the guar gum to the gravy while whisking a little at a time until you get the thickness desired. Add more if needed.  Continue cooking and wishing until the gravy begins to thicken.

Add meat balls back to sauce, heat and serve over caulirice or noodles.
Makes approximately 6 portions, about 3 net carbs per portion (caulirice or zoodles extra)