It may be spring, but that doesn’t mean ignoring comfort food. While the days are finally brighter and warmer, there is still a need for cosy dishes that make us feel good. I was drawn to Thomasina Miers’ recipe in The Guardian last week for meatballs served with polenta, with its warmer days flavours of basil and tomatoes, yet also ticking the comfort food box.
I make meatballs fairly often, ringing the changes between pork, pork and beef, beef, lamb or turkey or even making stuffed meatballs. Whether this is due to us being a half Swedish household or whether it is just because we enjoy eating them I am not sure, but any excuse to make some more is always welcome. These particular meatballs are pork based, mixed with cooked onion and garlic, ricotta, parmesan, sage, thyme, breadcrumbs and seasonings, and served with a garlicky tomato sauce.
The polenta has added sweet corn (obviously frozen kernels at this time of year), butter, parsley, nutmeg, seasoning and a little nutmeg. It had been ages since I prepared polenta, so it made a welcome and nice change. The second photo below is truely shocking in presentation, but the taste was quite fantastic. We had a big salad of cos, radishes and cucumber on the side. I will definitely make again.
I also wanted to include this cake in this month’s post and am hoping my blogging friends across The Ditch can help me out. This lovely, moist Earl Grey and sultana cake, is from Tilly Pamment’s new book The Plain Cake Appreciation Society (which I will review later this month). The recipe called for a ‘nut roll tin’, a baking tin shape I was not familiar with, so used a loaf tin as suggested instead. I had to of course Google ‘nut roll tin’ which turns out to be a special cylindrical tin used for baking nut based treats (am I right?). I read you can make your own from old tin cans though I might give that a miss! So my question is – how easy are these tins to find? Do any of you have one and use it?
Verdict? Just my sort of thing – full of flavour and sultanas!
This well be entered in the What’s on Your Plate blog challenge hosted by Canadian bloggers Widow Badass and Retirement Reflections. This goes live on the first Wednesday of each month and you can join in too with a food related post, just by adding yours to their linkup.
Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com or lofgren@thistlesandkiwis.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
Hi Barbara, yes I have one of those tins and use it for making a Date Roll. They’re quite easy to buy over here (across the ditch). That Earl Grey and Sultana Roll looks delicious and I’d love the recipe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh good to know about the tin! I’ll see if I can find the recipe online.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have seen the nut roll tins and I may even have one that I got from my husband’s grandmother’s house. I will have to look at it again. I didn’t know quite what it was used for. I usually read your posts in the mornings and your food always makes me so hungry.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh that is interesting! I should ask some of the bakers at work too.
And thanks for the comment about making you hungry!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I might have to have a look at that book – sounds just like my thing! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It has a lot of lovely recipes in it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes spring, especially when it is rainy, is when we crave comfort food the most!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I was very young the cocoa powder came in round tins – which my mother used as you have described. I have never seen such a tin for sale in South Africa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting. It is a curious object!
LikeLike
My mother used these tins to make corn bread – delicious, although I have never made it.
LikeLike
I’m a baker and history fan and I’ve never heard of that here in Canada. The meatballs sound like they would definitely be easy and tasty. Thanks for giving me tomorrow nights supper idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope you make the meatballs! The tin is an interesting thing though.
LikeLike
I have The Plain Cake Appreciation Society on reserve at the library (and on my Christmas list). It’s been ages since I cooked polenta – and I’m talking years, but I saw that post in the Guardian the other day and wondered … maybe?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a lovely book. It was the same with me and polenta – it isn’t exactly difficult to prepare but you do have to have the right thing with it I think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t poked polenta in years … you’ve got my wheels turning yet again!
Hmmmmm that is a delicious looking & sounding bake! I have never come across a roll tin – when I encounter recipes which call for specialty moulds, I typically just use my muffin or loaf tins for ease – with the exception of a bundt tin… I gave in and got me one! Which then leads to the challenge of managing an altered baking time. Which tin did you end up using?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used a loaf tin.
LikeLike
Hi, Barbara – Everything here looks delicious (as usual). I especially like the sounds of your Earl Grey and Sultana Cake. Nut Roll Tins are fairly cheap and easy to buy in Canada. Here, they are available at Walmart for under $10, and at Amazon for under $15. Although fancy-schmancy ones are also available! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am going to have to have a look now for those nut roll tins, even though I don’t really need one! The cake was really very good – lovely flavours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the idea of using old tin cans for baking but the results might be shorter and fatter than would be ideal.
LikeLiked by 2 people
My thoughts too!
LikeLike
It is always the season for comfort food! I haven’t thought of polenta in a very long time – it looks delicious with your meatballs.
LikeLiked by 2 people