Viv Moon's OUTDOOR & TRAVELLER'S eCOOKBOOK

Pam's ECHIDNA MEATBALLS
(Or Old Fashioned Adult Version of Porcupines)

My wondeful friend Pam is a great cook, and this is her version of the good old fashioned procupines (or mince balls with rice). A much loved and popular meal with the kids, the original Porcupine Meatballs recipe has been around for years and years!!

Pam has added her own little twist, making them even more delicious.

You can stick with the old, simplier version, or give this a try for a bit more flavour. They make a great camping meal - quick and easy and well liked.

Pam's Echidna Meatballs

Serves 4 - Makes 12 large Balls

Ingredients
500 grams mince beef
1 small onion – finely chopped or grated
1 chicken stock cube (crumbled) or powder
1 1/2 tspns curry powder – the kids will never know it is in there – or you can leave it out
2 tspns Worcestershire sauce
2 tblspns mango chutney – optional but adds a little more flavour, especially for the adults
1/4 cup of breadcrumbs or stuffing mix
1/2 cup of uncooked rice
1 egg – lightly beaten
2 bay leaves
1 tin of good tomato soup or 700 ml of pasta sauce (pasata) and a little water
1/2 can of water
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Combine meat, onion, stock cube, curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, egg, breadcrumbs & uncooked rice, and season to taste.

Make into balls (the size you prefer) and put into pan or camp oven.

Mix the soup with water & pour over meat balls to cover, adding the 2 bay leaves & extra black pepper.

Bring to boil, cover and simmer gently until meatballs cooked - approximately 30 to 45 mins.

During cooking, spoon the tomato soup over the balls. You can even turn them over about half way through cooking, but be careful you don’t break them apart.

Serve with extra hot, cooked rice or mashed potato, peas and carrots.

They are very tasty and the kids love them.

Viv’s hint: any leftovers are wonderful cold for lunch with dry biscuits or on a sandwich.

My handwritten, original recipe given to me by my Mum. Always a favourite and so simple. As you can see the old cookbook has seen some hardship and spills!!

Porcupines

This is the original recipe my Mum gave me and is almost the first one I wrote up in my first ever cookbook, back in those days when you wrote out recipes. I still have that book and treasure it. If you've never tried it given them a go. The kids love them.

Ingredients
450-500 grams mince beef
1 small onion – grated
1/2 cup of uncooked rice - washed
1 x sml can tomato soup (good quality)
2 x soup tins of water
1 little plain flour
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Place the meat in a bowl and add the rice, onion and seasoning.

Mix until well combined.

Flour your hands and make the mixture into balls, around the size of large golf balls.

Place the soup and water into a pan and bring to the boil.

Gently drop in the meatballs into the tomato soup mixture.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook gently for approx 20 mins.

That's it.