Before I had VSG Surgery, one of my favorite meals to make was meatballs. No matter what the side dish was, I loved eating meatballs, especially from beef. The problem that I faced after having surgery was that meat didn't really digest that well. I did notice that fish and seafood digested much better. This recipe is the perfect recipe for any stage after surgery. The fish is soft, and digests well because it is cooked in sauce. It can be eaten with spaghetti (if you are well after your recovery stage), with veggies, or even just by itself. I love the sauce as well because it is filled with veggies and light seasoning, and you are receiving all of the important food groups that you need in one dish. This is an easy recipe to make, but it is a bit time consuming. You will be so satisfied at the end, and you will definitely want to keep making this dish. So lets get started!!!
The first step to this recipe is the preperation. You are going to want to get all your ingredients out and measured. It will make the process easier, and allow for a fast clean up afterwards.
You are going to want to let your fish fillets thaw, that way it will be easier to remove the skin. You can also purchase your fish skinless, but I chose to go with the frozen option. If you want an eaier process, you can ask your local butcher to skin and grind the fillets for you. This saves time at home, and also saves the mess. If you do not have a good food processor at home, you will definitely want to go with the pre-ground option. After your fish is thawed, you will need to remove the skin and grind it in a food processor. Once the fish is ground, you can add the rest of the ingredients, and grind until smooth. You will want to still leave pieces of onion and herbs to preserve the taste, so make sure not to overgrind the fish. Overgrinding the fish will also give you a dense tough fishball after cooking, which will not be tasty. Once your mixture is ground, create small to medium sized balls with greased hands (if not the fish will stick to your hands, and will create a big mess), and set the fishballs in a greased pan. Put the pan in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the mixture to set. This is very important, if the mixture does not set in the fridge the balls will come apart once they hit the hot temperatures.
While your fishballs are cooling in the fridge, it is now time to make the sauce!!! This sauce is delicous, and super easy to make. All you will need to do is pre-roast your red onions, red peppers, and sweet potatoes in the oven. Once they are fully roasted and cooled a bit, you will grind them up in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients. If you want to save time, you can purchase pre-roasted peppers. Keep in mind, that these usually have vinegar or oil on them, so you will need to rinse them a bit before grinding them. Once your sauce mixture is blended, get out your pot. It is best to use a deep pot in order to let the fish cook properly.
Pour your sauce mixture into the pot, and set on medium to high heat. Add water until you receive a liquid texture. Make sure not to add too much water so that it doesn't turn into soup. You will still want the sauce to be on the thick side. Once the sauce has reached a boil, carefully add in your chilled fishballs. Gently coat them with the sauce, put the lid on your pot, and lower your heat to a medium low heat. Cook the fishballs for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until the fish is soft and fully cooked inside. Serve and Enjoy the traditional way with spaghetti, or even just with veggies or a different startch. Quinoa, bulgur wheat, or couscous will go great with this dish. Keep in mind that the sauce has sweet potatoes inside (which is considered a starch), so this dish can definitely be eaten on its own as well.
Recipe Instructions
Fishball Ingredients:
*1 pound white fish fillets (skinned and thawed)
*one egg
*1/2 c bread crumbs
*1/4 c fresh mint leaves
*1/2 c fresh parsley
*1/2 c chopped red onion
*3 peeled garlic cloves
*2 tbs zaatar seasoning
*1 tsp pepper
*1 tsp salt
*2 tbs dry green herb mixture (basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme)
Sauce Ingredients:
*1/2 red onion (sliced into quarters and roasted)
*2 red bell peppers (sliced into large pieces and roasted)
*3 sweet potatoes (peeled,sliced into rounds, and roasted)
*1 tsp salt
*1 tsp pepper
*1 tbs dry basil
*1 tbs dry oregano
*1/4 c fresh parsley
*1 peeled garlic clove
*1/2 c olive oil
Step by Step Cooking Instructions:
1. Prepare your ingredients for the fishballs.
2. Cook the peppers, and onions in the oven until roasted.
3. Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven.
4. Place all of the Sauce ingredients in the food processor, and blend until smooth. Set sauce aside in a pot, on medium to high heat. Add water until sauce thins out.
5. Clean the food processor from the sauce ingredients, and place the fish inside. Grind until smooth. Add the fishball ingredients, and blend again until smooth. Create small to medium sized balls, and set in fridge for at least 30 minutes in a greased pan.
6. Once the sauce has come to a boil, carefully add the chilled fishballs into the sauce. Cover the fishballs with the sauce, and place a lid on the pot. Cook on medium to low heat, and cook for 35-45 minutes, or until the fishballs are soft/cooked inside.
7. Serve and Enjoy!!
*(This recipe makes over 20 fishballs, can serve 4-6 people, or be meal prepped for up to 4 days. It is best not to freeze this dish in order to preserve the fresh taste and texture.)
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