Wild boar meatballs with caramelized pumpkin and potatoes

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg minced meat, from wild boar
• 2 onions
• 2 eggs
• 150 g breadcrumbs
• 5 stalks of flat-leaf parsley
• 5 stalks of basil
• 4 juniper berries
• 1 tsp thyme, dried, or 1 tbsp fresh
• 1 tbsp plum jam, or 1 tbsp tomato jam
• 1 pinch of gingerbread spice
• salt and pepper
• some clarified butter or good frying oil
• 500 g potatoes, waxy or mostly waxy
• 1 large onion(s)
• oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 small pumpkin(s) (Hokkaido), approx. 500 g
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Wild boar meatballs

Boil the potatoes and let cool. Mix the wild boar mince with the eggs, finely diced onion, breadcrumbs (or, in a pinch, the same amount of stale soaked bread rolls will do, but squeeze the rolls thoroughly), chopped parsley, and basil. Crush the juniper berries in a mortar and pestle. Now add the juniper berries, thyme, and plum jam or tomato jam. Season with gingerbread spice, salt, and pepper. Peel and slice the potatoes. Fry in a pan with good cooking oil and add the diced onion. Continue frying over medium heat, turning occasionally. When the potatoes are well browned, remove from the heat and place the pan in a slightly preheated oven to keep warm. Halve the Hokkaido potato, remove the seeds, and cut into fairly small cubes. Add to the pan, fry in the butter over medium heat, and cook until al dente, turning occasionally. Then season with salt, sprinkle with two teaspoons of sugar, and caramelize lightly. Deglaze with two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Pour over the potatoes and return everything to the oven to keep warm. While the pumpkin is cooking, form meatballs/meat patties and fry in clarified butter or oil, turn over, and fry on the other side. Reduce the heat slightly and fry the meatballs/meat patties thoroughly. Arrange the meatballs/meat patties on top of the potato and pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired, and serve in the pan.