TOMATO AND MINI MEATBALL RISOTTO

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Combine 375 gm of lamb mince ,1/3 rd cup of grated parmesan , 1 dsp of minced garlic in a bowl and shape heaped teaspoons of the mixture into balls and then set aside . Next place a 700gm of chunky pasta sauce in a large pot with 3 cups of chicken stock and slowly to bring a gentle simmer . Meanwhile place a good glug of canola / rice bran oil into a large pan , add the formed meatballs and cook until seared ( about 5 minutes ) . Remove the seared meatballs to a oven tray along with a 400gm punnet of medley mixed tomatoes . Place the oven tray in the preheated oven and continue to cook the meatballs and tomatoes until the tomatoes soften ....reduce heat to low and keep the tray in the oven . Place one peeled and finely chopped onion into the pan along with another 1 tbs of minced garlic . Stir over a low heat until the onion softens. Add 1 and 1/4 cups of aborio rice to the pan with the onion . Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine , along with 1/3rd of the combined stock mixture . Stir until the liquid is absorbed . Repeat with remaining stock mixture , adding a 1/3 rd of a cup at a time , until all the stock liquid is absorbed and rice is tender and creamy , this can take up to 20 minutes . Remove from the heat and add the meatballs , tomatoes , 1/3 rd of a cup of grated parmesan a tsp of dried basil , stirring carefully to combine . Serve topped with fresh basil leaves .