Sage, Leek & Onion Stuffing Balls
Stuffing is not just for Christmas! These golden, herby spheres are bursting with sweet leek goodness—perfect alongside your Sunday roast any time of year. You'll love knowing those lovely leeks are packing vitamins A, C, K, and fibre too. And they're perfect for freezing.
Ingredients
leek1 whole
celery2 stick
pork sausage meat450 g
fresh sage20 g
white breadcrumbs140 g
white onions2 whole
egg1 whole
vegetable oil60 ml
smoked streaky bacon200 g
salt1 pinch
black pepper1 pinch
Instructions
Chef's Tips
For best results, ensure the onion mixture is cooled before adding it to the sausage meat to prevent the egg from cooking prematurely.
These stuffing balls can be made ahead and frozen. Arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding an extra 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time.
If you don't have fresh sage, you can substitute with 1-2 teaspoons of dried sage, adjusting to your taste.
Prepare the Vegetables and Oven
Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan/Gas Mark 5). Finely chop the onions and celery. Finely slice the leek into rings. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
Sauté the Aromatics
Add the chopped onions, sliced leek, and chopped celery to the hot oil in the frying pan. Cover the pan and soften the vegetables for 15 minutes until tender.
Prepare Sausage Meat and Sage
While the vegetables are cooking, squeeze the pork sausage meat out of its casings into a large mixing bowl. Finely chop the sage leaves.
Combine Ingredients
Once the onion mixture has cooled slightly, tip it into the bowl with the sausage meat. Add the chopped sage (reserving a little for garnish later), white breadcrumbs, and the large egg. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Use your hands to mix all the ingredients together thoroughly until well combined.
Shape the Stuffing Balls
Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions and shape each into a ball. Halve the smoked streaky bacon rashers and stretch them out slightly. Wrap each stuffing ball with a bacon rasher.
Initial Bake
Arrange the bacon-wrapped stuffing balls on a non-stick baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Crisp the Bacon
After 15 minutes, remove the foil from the baking sheet. Return the stuffing balls to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the bacon is golden and crispy and the stuffing balls are cooked through.
Garnish and Serve
If desired, garnish the cooked stuffing balls with a fresh sage sprig before serving.
