SPANISH MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO-SAFFRON SAUCE
Motivation: Stop making boring meatballs the same way. Shake things up a bit with this twist.
Major Key: Basically you're getting a great recipe for meatballs from scratch. You can switch the sauce to another or even your favorite store bought ones. And you can sub the pork for beef or turkey, but I like the flavor of the pork.
INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs
2 slices of white or wheat bread
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 lb. ground pork
1 cup grated Manchego or Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsps olive oil
1 egg
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp. each minced fresh garlic, ground cumin and coriander
1 tbsp Tastic spice*
For the sauce
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 large pinch saffron threads, crumbled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 dried bay leaf
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped capers
Fresh parsley leaves
Rosemary sprigs or toothpicks, optional
Your favorite hard cheese, optional
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 with racks in middle and lowest positions. Coat two baking sheets with nonstick spray.
2. For the meatballs, combine bread and milk in a bowl, mashing together to form a paste. Add pork, Manchego, parsley, oil, egg, paprika, garlic, cumin, coriander and Tastic; mix until combined.
3. Form pork mixture into 1-inch meatballs and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake meatballs until browned and cooked through, 12-15 minutes.
4. For the sauce, combine sherry and saffron in a bowl. Heat oil in a skillet over medium.
5. Add onions to skillet and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
6. Deglaze skillet with sherry mixture and add bay leaf; reduce 1 minute. Add tomatoes and capers, season with Tastic spice, and simmer sauce over medium heat, about 5 minutes; discard bay leaf.
7. Transfer meatballs to sauce and keep warm until ready to serve.
8. OPTIONAL: Garnish by skewering with rosemary sprigs or toothpick and your favorite grated hard cheese.
* Tastic Spice is available HERE
Do me a favor? If you decide to be great and make this recipe, take a pic and share it on Instagram and tag me (@mrfoodtastic) and use the hashtag #mrfoodtastic so I can see just how amazing you are. I repost my favorite ones