Foodie Friday - Welsh faggots with onion gravy

First, I need to tell you that 'faggot' is not a rude word in this context. A faggot is in fact a pork meatball which has liver in it.  The word was originally used for any uncased sausage.

I have absolutely no idea why these meatballs are called Welsh even though they were popular not only in Wales but throughout the Midlands.  It was popular with miners as being transportable and able to be eaten for lunch.  Faggots have become popular again due to the nose to tail eating movement.

The recipe from Saveur which follows also includes bacon.  I haven't eaten liver for years but my mother used to make liver and bacon as one of the items for Christmas breakfast with the neighbours each year.

For the Gravy

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. flour

2 cups beef stock

¹⁄₃ cup madeira wine

¹⁄₂ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Meatballs

10 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 tbsp. finely chopped sage

1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. finely chopped thyme

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb. ground pork

4 oz. pig's liver, finely chopped

1 ¹⁄₂ cups bread crumbs

¹⁄₂ cup milk

¹⁄₄ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

¹⁄₂ cup dry white wine

Instructions

Make onion gravy: Melt butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes. Add stock, madeira, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook until slightly thick, about 5 minutes; set gravy aside and keep warm.

Make the meatballs: Heat oven to 350°. Heat bacon in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat; cook until fat is rendered and bacon is slightly crisp, 4–6 minutes. Add sage, thyme, onion, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7–9 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; let cool.

Add pork, liver, bread crumbs, milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to bacon mixture; mix gently to combine. Form mixture into eight 4-oz. balls.

Place in a 9" x 13" baking dish and add wine; bake, basting occasionally with pan juices, until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve with onion gravy.