Roasted Vegetable Ragu With Venison Meatballs

• 1 Red Onion
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
• 2 Fresh tomatoes (or 2 roma canned)
• 3 Zucchini
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Sea salt
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 pinch Dried red chilli flakes
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Can of tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
• 1 pound Venison, ground or mince
• 1 teaspoon Sea salt
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano and dried thyme
• 1 pinch Dried chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large baking dish (ceramic works great) or heavy duty shallow oven- proof stock pot, mix onion, red bell peppers, carrot, tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, olive oil, salt, and chilli flakes. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring midway. In the meantime, prepare venison meatballs.
2. For Meatballs: Mix venison, sea salt, worcestershire sauce, fennel, oregano, thyme, dried chilli flakes, and olive oil in large bowl. Form into medium size balls (just short of a golf ball). Place heavy duty skillet (cast iron is great) over medium high heat. Add 1/2 the olive oil and when hot, place half the balls in the skillet, making sure they are not crowded. After a couple minutes, check one to see if brown on bottom. If so, gently flip and cook for 1 minute (meatballs will continue cooking in the oven with ragu later) and remove to plate. Repeat with remaining meatballs and set aside.
3. After ragu has been in the oven for 30 minutes, remove and add can of tomatoes, brown sugar, and balsamic. Give a good stir and gently nestle meatballs in ragu, spooning some sauce over each ball. Return to oven and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and test a meatball to make sure it is cooked through, with a small bit of pink in the very middle as they will continue cooking once removed from oven.rnrnServe ragu over gluten free spaghetti noodles and top with a pinch of fresh basil, if in season.

red onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, olive oil, salt, oregano, red chilli, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, brown sugar, salt, worcestershire sauce, fennel seeds, oregano, chilli flakes, olive oil

Taken from food52.com/recipes/20609-roasted-vegetable-ragu-with-venison-meatballs (may not work)