Prosciutto and Cranberry Stuffing Meatballs

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 ounce butter
• 6 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh sage, finely chopped
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb sausage meat
• 14 ounces streaky bacon, very finely chopped
• 7 ounces white breadcrumbs
• 4 tablespoons walnuts, lightly crushed
• 1 lemon, zest of, finely grated
• 16 slices prosciutto
• vegetable oil, for dabbing

Directions

1. 1

   Put the cranberries and the sugar in a small saucepan. Add in the water and stir, then heat until bubbling gently and stir again until the sugar has dissolved.

2. 2

   Turn off the heat and leave to go cold. The berries should have softened and deflated slightly.

3. 3

   Heat the butter in a frying pan. Add in shallots and garlic and fry gently until the shallots have softened but not coloured. Remove from heat.

4. 4

   Mix in the sage and thyme then season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

5. 5

   Mix in the sausage meat, minced bacon, breadcrumbs, walnuts and lemon zest. Use your fingers and make sure everything is well mixed together.

6. 6

   Drain away the syrup from the cranberries, then stir the berries into the stuffing mix.

7. 7

   Shape the stuffing into 8 balls, each the size of a large golf ball.

8. 8

   Wrap each one in two slices of prosciutto. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to firm up, ideally overnight.

9. 9

   Once the turkey has finished roasting, preheat the oven to 400°F Remove the plastic wrap from the stuffing balls and place them across a shallow roasting tin, leaving lots of space between them.

10. 10

    Dab them all over with a little oil and roast for 30 minutes or so until crisped and cooked through.