Recipe Archives->Spanish->Albondigas

Albondigas Con Salsa de Almendras y Azafran
Meatballs in Saffron-Almond Sauce (Tapas)

14oz/400 g ground beef
14oz/400 g ground pork
2 oz/50 g stale bread, without crusts (2 slices)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp minced onion
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
flour
1/3 cup/100 ml olive oil
40 almonds, blanched and skinned
1 slice bread (1 oz/25 g)
3 tbsp olive oil
10 peppercorns
1/2 tsp saffron
1 clove
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup/150 ml white wine
1 cup/250 ml meat or chicken stock
lemon juice
chopped parsley
slivered fried almonds

Combine the ground meats in a bowl. Soak the sliced bread in water
or milk to cover until soft. Squeeze it out and add to the meat
with the garlic, onion, parsley, salt, nutmeg and egg. Knead well
to make a smooth mixture. Form into small balls. Roll the m in
flour and fry very slowly in hot oil until browned on all sides.
Remove and drain. The oil can be strained and used for the sauce.

Fry the almonds, bread and garlic in the oil until golden. Remove.
In a mortar, crush the peppercorns, saffron, clove and salt. Add
the toasted almonds, bread and garlic (or put it in a processor)
with the wine to make a smooth paste. Combine this mixture in the
pan with remaining oil and the stock. Bring to a boil, then add
the fried meatballs. Simmer the meatballs for 20 minutes in the
sauce, adding a little additional liquid if needed. Immediately
before serving, add a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve prinkled with
chopped parsley and a few slivered almo nds.

Makes about 36 meatballs.

Printable version: albondigas.txt.