For Joe - Albondigas

The meatballs for Tapas night were done a bit fast and so some broke up a bit.  The secret to the meatballs not breaking up is to place them in a well oiled pan (or even better a non-stick pan), cook on medium low heat and wait.  You are waiting for each side to cook through and get a nice crust before turning them to the next side....and to make them a bit small.... golf ball sized or so. 

Albondigas

Meatballs in tomato sauce

Meatball ingredients:

• 6 oz ground pork
• 6 oz ground beef or veal (If you are going to use veal, please use rose veal which is humane )
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
• salt and pepper to taste

 Tomato sauce ingredients (spicy):

• 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (or sherry)
• 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes (or diced) or approximately the same of fresh tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less depending on your heat level)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed.

Directions:
Combine the pork, beef/veal, garlic, spices and egg. Mix by hand refrigerate, covered for 30 minutes. (you know I didn't do that part. *grin*  But, it may make it a bit more solid to work with.)

Heat butter/ghee on medium heat and add onion, cook until translucent, about 3 min. Add garlic, cook for about a minute.  Raise the heat to high, add wine and bring to boil.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste and stock.  Simmer for about 10 min.  Add cayenne.   Keep on a very low heat, just so that it stays warm and start up on the meatballs.

Take meat mixture and make golf ball sized meatballs.  Heat ghee or butter in pan and place meatballs in pan taking care not to let them touch.  You may need to make multiple batches.  Cook for about a min or so on each side or done to your taste.   Once all the meatballs are done, put them in the sauce.  Add peas and bring up to temp on medium low heat. 

Serve.