ALBONDIGAS SPANISH MEATBALLS IN A TIO PEPE SAUCE

Gorgeous little balls of heaven, pork and beef meatballs seasoned with onion, garlic, paprika, sea salt and black pepper, seared and slowly cooked in a deep rich tomato and tio pepe smoked paprika sauce, gorgeous just gorgeous.

Prep Time 20 minutes / Cooking Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

(serves 4-6)

Meatballs

500g beef mince

400g pork mince

1 onion finely diced

4 cloves garlic grated

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp hot smoked paprika

125g jammon serrano finely diced

Fresh ground black pepper

Sea salt

White pepper

1 tbsp coconut oil

Tio Pepe Tomato Sauce

3 shallots finely diced

2 cloves garlic grated

1 red chilli finely diced

1 tsp dried chillies

1 tbsp coconut oil

200ml Tio Pepe sherry

300ml Chicken stock

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tsp sugar

Sea salt

Black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 tsp hot cayenne pepper

1 tbsp butter

First make the meat balls, melt the coconut oil in a frying pan and gently soften the onion, garlic and jammon for around five minutes, add the paprika and coriander, leave to one side to cool.  In a large bowl place the beef and pork and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, add the cooled onion and garlic mix and mix thoroughly in to the meat.  Form in to small one bit balls.  

Place the frying pan back on the heat and sear the meatballs on all sides, transfer to a casserole dish, once you have browned off all the meatballs, now on to making the sauce, using the same frying pan to keep all the lovely caramelised flavours add more coconut oil and gently soften the shallots and garlic for approx five minutes, add the rest of the ingredients except the butter and bring to a simmer, reduce until a medium thick consistency, add the meatballs and finish cooking them for around 5 minutes, add the butter and take off the heat, these are now ready to serve, this is one of those dishes that taste better the next day, so I often make this a day ahead and gently re-heat on the hob.  Serve with hunks of fresh sour dough bread and butter.