Pork Meatballs and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients for Pork Meatballs and Cucumber Salad

• 40g golden raisins

• 900g thin-skinned cucumbers (such as Persian, English hothouse, and/or kirby) cut into bite-size pieces

• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 3 tablespoons pine nuts

• 110g Castelvetrano olives, pitted, divided

• 1 large egg

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

• 60g panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

• 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 450g pork mince

• 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)

• 2 cups tender herb leaves (such as mint and/or parsley)

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• Plain whole-milk Greek yoghurt (for serving)

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 218°C. Place raisins in a small bowl and pour in hot water to cover; let sit until ready to use.

Place cucumbers in a colander or sieve set in or over a large bowl; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Let sit while you make the meatballs. (It will seem like a lot of cucumbers at first, but they will shrink down as they drain.)

Meanwhile, drizzle 2 tablespoons oil over a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange pine nuts in an even layer on another rimmed baking sheet (use a quarter-sheet if you have one!).

Finely chop 60ml olives. Transfer to a large bowl and add egg, garlic, panko, parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes; season with black pepper. Drain raisins and add half to bowl; mix well to combine. Add pork and gently mix with your hands to incorporate. Working one at a time, scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of pork mixture and form into balls (think about the size of a golf ball; you should get about 20). Arrange on oiled baking sheet, spacing 1" apart. Turn to coat.

Bake meatballs, rotating baking sheet front to back halfway through, until browned on bottom and cooked through, 10–15 minutes. Toast pine nuts on bottom rack until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Coarsely chop remaining 120ml olives. Gather cucumbers into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess liquid into bowl (don’t worry if they get a little smashed); discard liquid. Wipe out bowl and combine cucumbers, olives, pine nuts, onion, herbs, and remaining raisins in bowl; toss to combine. Drizzle in vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil, season with salt and black pepper, and toss again to coat.

Swoosh a generous scoop of yoghurt over each plate, then top with salad and meatballs. Season with more black pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.