Albóndigas -- Spanish Meatballs

Although I am not much of a carnivore, I do sometimes eat beef and pork (especially jamón ibérico).  One day while looking at recipes I saw a recipe for meatballs that caught my eye.  I actually kept my readers in mind because I realized that until then I had not made a single dish with beef or pork.  I stumbled across a recipe for "Albóndigas a la Madrileña", or Madrid style meatballs.  These meatballs are the typical meatballs seen in Spanish tapas bars; the dry, cold meatballs taking a bath, accompanied by peas, in a gravy-like sauce  in a tray beneath the glass display counter on the bar are later warmed up in a microwave upon request of the patron.  

Those meatballs I referred to are actually a tradition in many Spanish houses, and every Spaniard will tell you that his/her mother's version is the best.  So, having a recipe in hand, and many Spaniards to consult for advice, I created my own version.  I went to my local market to get fresh meat and vegetables for the dish.  Going to a local market is always an adventure for me, so I try to go regularly both to support local business and chat with the locals. 

I went first to the butcher where we struck up a conversation on the seasons, he said that winter was the best for carniceros, Spanish for butcher.  While there, he told me about his version of meatballs, telling me how much beef and pork I needed and exactly how to cook them.  This action evoked a spirited group of 70ish year old Spanish women, who all had their own ways to make "Spanish meatballs".  A trip to the greengrocer and 20 recipes later I was finally home with the ingredients and forced to draw up a new plan for my version of albóndigas.

The Spanish word for meatball, albóndiga, comes from Classic Arabic bunduqah, which comes from the Ancient Greek κάρυον ποντικόν, meaning hazelnut.  The meatballs I make do resemble a large hazelnut, but taste much different.  They are a mix of 3/4 beef and 1/4 pork, Italian parsley, garlic, onions, eggs, and flour.  The meatballs just wouldn't be meatballs if it weren't for the sauce that accompanies them. I make the sauce using carrots, peas, leeks, onions, garlic, and sherry.  Combined with the sauce they make a perfect meal any time of the year.  So even if it is summer time, give your butcher some business and make some Spanish meatballs.

This dish is one that can easily be made in any part of the States any time of the year. In fact, I made it a few times when visiting my family and I have to say that it was my most successful dish.  You could serve this dish with mashed potatoes, rice, or bread.  The most common accompaniment in Spain is bread.  I encourage you to experiment with the dish and serve it how you want.  I hope you, your family, and your friends enjoy my take on Spanish meatballs!

Equipment
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Vegetable peeler
Large pot
Frying pan
Wooden spoon
Bowls
Plates
Whisk

Ingredients
4 cloves of garlic
2 medium onions
1 large leek
8 medium carrots
2 tomatoes
1/2 lb of fresh or frozen peas
1 1/2 lbs of ground beef
1/2 lb of ground pork
2 eggs
1 glass of sherry
Olive oil
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Handful of Italian Parsley
Fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme
Bay leaf

Instructions

1. Finely chop one onion, two cloves of garlic, and the parsley.  Mix the ground beef, ground pork, salt, pepper, and cumin.

2. Mix the chopped ingredients with the meat.  Then add two beaten eggs.

3. Heat oil in a frying pan.  Form golf ball sized meatballs with your hands and lightly flour them. 

4. Brown the meatballs in the skillet.  (It is not necessary to fully cook them at this point.)  Set them aside and reserve oil and drippings.  

5. Finely chop the other onion, garlic, leeks, and carrots.  Peel, seed, and dice the tomatoes.(Refer to photos.)

6. Heat the oil and drippings in a large pot.  Add the onions and cook for a minute.

7. Add the carrots and the bay leaf.  Cook for 5 minutes.  

8. Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes.

9. Incorporate the tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and fresh herbs.  Cook for 5 more minutes.

10. Pour in the glass of sherry and allow to reduce a few minutes.

11. Put the peas in along with two cups of water.  Let cook a few minutes.

12. Add the meatballs and a bit more water, just enough to almost cover the meatballs.  

13. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low.  Let cook for about an hour.  (Check the meatballs occasionally and stir, but don't do it too often because it should be cooking on low heat.)

14. If you see that the sauce seems a bit too liquid, sift some flour into the mixture to thicken it a bit.  

15. When you have a thick sauce and the meatballs seem nice and tender, it is time to eat!  I hope you enjoy!

Pollo en Pepitoria -- Easy, economical gourmet chicken

A common topic in my English classes is "food".  Whether it be a prepared topic, or just something that comes up in a discussion, we are always talking about it.  One day when talking to a student about what I had cooked over the weekend, she recommended me an interesting recipe for chicken.  I have to admit that at the time the recipe did not sound so appealing, but I kept it in mind.  Then, about 2 months later,  I decided to look the recipe up. After reading a few versions on the internet, this not-so-interesting dish began to catch my eye.

The name of the dish is pollo en pepitoria, which means chicken in pepitoria sauce.  After consulting my friend the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language, I have discovered that the word pepitoria,  comes from the French words petite oie, "little goose", referring to a stew made from goose giblets.  The modern day meaning, however, is a poultry stew which has a sauce made with cooked egg yolks.   

As I mentioned earlier, I had doubts about this dish at first.  The thing that really put me off about this dish was the fact that it used hard-boiled eggs.  I could not imagine a hot dish made with hard-boiled eggs (even though I do sometimes use them as a garnish).  Later, when I finally made this recipe, I realized just how exquisite it was.  In my version I used free-range chicken and eggs, raw Marcona almonds, pine nuts, and a moderately priced sherry.  However, you could make this dish on a budget by leaving out many of the expensive ingredients such as the saffron, pine nuts, and free-range chicken.  

As chicken and eggs are key ingredients in this dish, I recommend buying them free-range .  I am a firm believer in putting healthy food into my body.  Therefore I like eating healthy chickens that have lived healthy lives, not chickens that have come from a factory farm.  Free-range chickens eat healthier food and have the opportunity to move around more and exercise their muscles.  This means that the quality and taste of the chicken and eggs are much better as well.  You can find more information about the health benefits from the National Geographic's  "Green Living" section.

However you decide to make this recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  It would be the perfect dish to make for a dinner party and it is sure to really impress your friends.  I also provide recipes for the chicken stock and sherry risotto.  Please enjoy, and write to me with any questions you may have!

Equipment
Mortar and pestle
Frying Pan
Large Pot
Wooden Spoon
Knife
Plates
Chopping board
Paper Towels

Ingredients (Chicken Stock)
2 liters of water
Chicken bones, fat, and skin (you could make it with just the bones and meat for a healthier stock)
1 medium onion
2 carrots
4 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
pepper
salt

Ingredients (Sherry Risotto)
Chicken stock
Butter
1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)
200 grams (about 1 cup) of short-grain rice, preferably arborio
Half a glass of sherry

Ingredients (Pepitoria)
2 kgs of chicken (around 4 lbs.)
3 eggs
3 cloves of garlic
1 yellow onion
20 almonds, toasted
30 pine nuts
Olive oil
1 glass of sherry
Flour, just enough for frying chicken
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
Saffron


Instructions (Pepitoria)
1. First things first, we need to prepare the chicken for the stock.  If you do what I did and buy a whole chicken, you'll have a lot more work cut out for you.  I suggest cutting the breasts from the bones and using these bones and the skin for the stock.  (The ideal thing to do is to buy the chicken already cut.)

2. Add the chicken skin, bones, fat, onion, garlic, carrots, bay leaves, cloves, and thyme to a large pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer on medium-low heat for about an hour and a half.  

3. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add the eggs and boil them for 10 minutes.  You want to be careful not to overcook them.  

4. Put the almonds, pine nuts, and saffron in a mortar (or a small bowl), and smash them finely with the pestle.  

5. Finely slice the garlic.  In a small frying pan with a bit of olive oil, lightly toast the garlic.  

6.  When finished add the garlic to the mortar and mix it with the other ingredients.

7. Now the eggs should be cooled and ready to use.  Remove the yolks and add them to the mortar.  Smash all ingredients very finely.  

8. All right, once an hour and a half has passed you can drain the stock into a large bowl and reserve it for later. Batter the chicken in flour, salt, and pepper.  Then pan fry the chicken on both sides.  Do not overcook the chicken.  It is good enough if you just fry it to a golden color on each side.  When finished reserve the chicken on a platter lined with paper towels.

9. Cut the ends off of the onion, slice it in half, and finely chop it.  Add them to a pot with oil on medium heat and cook until transparent.

10. Add the glass of sherry and let it reduce for a few minutes.  

11. Then add the chicken, thyme, and stock to the onions and sherry.  Add enough stock to cover the chicken and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for an hour to an hour and a half.  It's ready when the chicken is tender.

12. After the chicken has fully cooked you can add the pepitoria mixture that you smashed earlier.  Let cook for about 5 - 10 more minutes  to let the flavors mix.  


Instructions (Risotto)
1. Heat butter and a bit of olive oil.  Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

2. Then add the rice and toast it a bit.  Add the sherry and cook for a about 5 minutes.  Then add the chicken stock little by little and keep stirring.  Do not let the rice burn at the bottom and always be sure that there is some liquid in the pot.  When the rice is tender it is finished (about 15 - 20 minutes).  

As any Spanish mother would say, "!A comer!"  (It's time to eat!).  I hope you and your guests enjoy this 5 star meal!