Mustard Lamb Meatballs in a Creamy Sauce

Comfort food at it's best! Inspired by one of good old Nigel's creamy pasta sauces I discovered in his 30 minute cook, I went through a stage a few months ago of making and trying out a few cream sauce variations. I prefer them to a tomato-based sauce, and they're so comforting and satisfying, even if they aren't the healthiest. This one is a combination of my favourite things; lamb, parsnips, red onions, cream and mustard amongst them. The creamy sauce is quite rich, the mustard gives it a gentle kick of flavour too and the parsnips and red onions complement it with their lovely sweetness.
We usually have this with spaghetti, but any pasta strands or ribbons would be just as good. Rice or mash are respectable companions too, but spaghetti is definitely my favourite.

(serves 4)
Ingredients:
500g Lamb Mince
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp thyme leaves
100g breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 parsnips, diced
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
150ml double cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
handful or two of frozen peas for extra colour.
spaghetti to serve.

• Firstly, make the meatballs; mix the lamb, onion, thyme, breadcrumbs and egg together and form into little meatballs, I usally make about 24 smaller ones as they cook quicker and I am impatient.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a highish heat and brown the  meatballs, in batches if need be, until browned all over and almost cooked through 10-15minutes. I cut one open to check. Eat the cut one. Remove from the rest from the pan. 
• Add a little more oil to the pan if needed and add the parsnip and red onion to the pan and cook, stirring regularly for 5-6 minutes until softened and tinged golden.  
• Add the cream and mustard and garlic, season well and stir together. Add a splash of boiling water (from the spaghetti pan if having) to loosen the sauce if you think it needs it.
• Add the meatballs back into the pan and throw in the peas too. Simmer for 4 or 5 minutes or so until the peas are cooked.  
• Plate up the spaghetti and top with the meatballs, pouring any remaining sauce over.

p.s - sometimes I add a bit of chilli to this too, maybe half of a chilli or a deseeded one, finely chopped and added with the parsnip and red onion if you want an extra fiery zing against the soothing creamy sauce. .