Something a little bit different with the addition of vanilla to the sauce and veal in the meatballs along with two pork cuts.
200 grams veal
100 grams EACH lean pork and belly pork
2 banana shallots – peeled and very finely chopped
2 slices wholegrain bread – breadcrumbs
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 small fresh egg
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground white pepper
1 tbsp tomato purée
1/4 cup finely chopped basil
1/2 level tsp fresh rosemary
1/4 level tsp fresh thyme
Olive oil
Spelt wholegrain or white flour
Yield – about 24 meatballs
Cook the garlic cloves in boiling water until soft, allow to cool until safe to handle, squeeze out the pulp.
Using a pestle and mortar, pound the fresh rosemary and thyme with a little olive oil to a smooth paste.
Mince the veal, pork and belly pork, add the shallots, breadcrumbs, garlic purée and mix together using a fork.
Add the egg, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper, tomato purée, basil, rosemary and thyme paste.
Mix until well combined – preferably using your hands.
Using the palms of your hands, divide the mixture into about 24 portions, shape into balls.
Roll in the Spelt flour, place onto a tray – leaving a small space in between each meatball.
Put the oil into a large frying pan, when hot, brown the meatballs in batches, toss occasionally to turn ensuring they are evenly browned all over.
Sauce
Olive oil
1 large Spanish onion – peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots – peeled and finely chopped
2 banana shallots – peeled and finely chopped
1 sweet Spanish red pepper – peeled, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 leek
2 garlic cloves – peeled and finely chopped
250 ml dry white wine
500 ml chicken stock
1 vanilla bean – split lengthways, seeds scraped out
1 tsp finely chopped mixed herbs
Leeks – trim, quarter, finely sliced – dunk in a large bowl of cold water, remove leeks (any sand in the leeks should have sunk to the bottom of the bowl). Place into a colander to drain.
Put the oil into a saucepan, when hot add the onion, carrots and shallots.
Gently fry over a low heat for 5 minutes, add the pepper, leek and garlic.
Cook until tender, covered.
Pour in the wine, bring to the boil, reduce by half.
Add the stock and vanilla pod plus seeds, stir.
Bring to the boil, add the herbs and simmer gently, covered, for 5 minutes.
Remove the vanilla pod.
Allow to cool until safe enough to liquidise – process until smooth, put through a sieve into a clean saucepan using a small ladle.
Add the meatballs in a single layer, cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Serving suggestions
- boiled new potatoes tossed in butter
- wholegrain or vegetable spaghetti.
- fried potatoes, Spanish style