After work today, I stopped by K-Supermarket Mustapekka, one of my favourite grocery shops in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Their customer service is excellent, and they always stock good seasonal produce. Today they had fresh minced elk and funnel chanterelles, which inspired me to make these hearty autumn meatballs.
For frying the mushrooms:
800 g funnel chanterelles
Chopped parsley, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
Salt
For the meatball mixture:
1 pack minced elk (about 450 g)
1 egg
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
A splash of white wine
About 50 g pecorino cheese (Galbani Pecorino Romano DOP)
3 juniper berries, finely crushed
The cooled fried funnel chanterelles
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
1. Prepare the mushrooms
Clean the funnel chanterelles and tear any large ones in half.
Heat a frying pan, add a dash of olive oil, and fry the mushrooms until their liquid has evaporated and they start to take on a little colour.
Stir in the chopped parsley and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Set aside to cool.
2. Make the mixture
In a bowl, combine the minced elk, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, crushed juniper berries and a splash of white wine.
Add the cooled mushrooms and grated pecorino. Mix gently until even, but don’t overwork the mixture or the meatballs will become tough.
3. Shape and bake
Form the mixture into evenly sized meatballs (around ten).
Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
4. Cooking
Bake in the convection oven at 180 °C for about 17–20 minutes, or until cooked through. Turn them halfway through the cooking time.
5. To serve
Serve with roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad.