Deconstructed Meatballs

So I’ve had a Vietnamese-style pork meatball sandwich recipe sitting around for years that I’ve always wanted to make but just never had. While looking for something to make with this month’s ground pork (and carrots, turnips, garlic, onions, and basil from our Prairie Sun Farm veggie CSA), I thought it was the perfect time to finally make the sandwiches.

However, meatballs take more time that we have right now. Instead of spending my entire evening cooking, I made the following recipe loosely based on the meatball recipe. We loved it so I’m going to keep that recipe on hand … it’ll happen again sooner or later!

We served this on top of plain cooked quinoa, but any grain you like to use would do fine. Rice, cous cous, pasta – use whatever you have in your pantry.

You of course can leave the sugar out... that'd be much healthier. However, it is quite a treat as written.  

For the sauce:

• 1 T fish sauce
• 1 T siracha type hot sauce
• 1 T sugar
• 2 t. cornstarch
• 1 t. black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 t. sea salt

Garnish:

• 1/4 C chopped cilantro
• 1/4 C chopped basil

Directions:

• Start whatever grain you plan to serve with this (if you are)
• Brown the pork, drain some of the fat if needed but save enough for the onions.
• Add onions and saute, lower and longer are best, add garlic towards the end.
• Stir the sauce ingredients together and then mix into the pan and the put the mixture into a serving bowl
• Mix the cilantro into the veggies and basil onto the pork and serve.