Albondigas con Setas: Spanish Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce

Since my last post, I’ve made a few more foodie friends in Spain, and no longer spend all my time cooking for one.  We recently instituted a cooking class with one friend’s Spanish roommate/excellent cook, “Cooking Con Carlos.”  We’re going to learn all the Spanish greatest hits (at least, all the hits that don’t require knowledge of molecular gastronomy).  These outstanding meatballs were part of lesson #1.

albondigas, before frying.

I’m with Claire – meatballs are not a trend.  They’re a classic, and in Spain they’ve been making them, deliciously, for a long time. (And, per Kevin’s post earlier this week, in Italy. Maybe we are in the midst of a bit of a meatball craze, at least here at FJ.)  This, according to Carlos, is a standard recipe, and it combines a lot of my favorite aspects of cooking – local, fresh ingredients; pork products; and a straightforward process that yields excellent results.  New Yorkers, get ready – when I’m back, these are going to become a dinner-party standard.

Also, keep an eye out for the unique ingredients in this recipe (but I will give you substitutes in case your local Kroger doesn’t have them).  I’m particularly excited to introduce you to caldo de jamón.

Albondigas con Setas

Ingredients:

For Albondigas (meatballs)

Whole milk
Loaf of sliced white bread
Ground meat – mix of pork and beef– 14 oz.  (In Spain, they sell this mixture pre-packaged in the grocery store, which I hadn’t seen before.  Ask your butcher to grind the meat separately and mix together well in the bowl yourself if you can’t find a mixture.)
Garlic – 3 cloves
Parsley, 2 or 3 sprigs, finely chopped
2 Eggs, whisked
Salt to taste, dash of black pepper
Flour
Olive oil for frying

For Salsa:
Large mushrooms – we used locally procured mushrooms, but they resembled shitakes.  Anything that is sort of large and soft and able to soak up liquid and flavor will work.
White wine
Caldo de Jamón – Cured ham stock (!) (Chicken stock would be fine for substituting.)
1/4 of an onion, diced
Pinch of salt, black pepper, pimenton dulce – paprika to taste.  (I think red pepper flakes would be a good substitute if you’re not into paprika.  I also really recommend finding Spanish pimenton dulce if you can, not just any old paprika.)
Flour

To make meatballs:

1. Pour milk into a small bowl, just enough to cover the bottom of the bowl.
2. Place three slices of bread into the bowl to soak milk up.  Mix together with your fingers – break the bread slices up.
3. Add garlic and parsley to mix.
4. Add meat.
5. Pour whisked eggs into mix.
6. Add salt and pepper.
7. Mix with fork until you have ingredients evenly distributed.
8. Make the meatballs – one soupspoon scoop for each ball.
9. With your hands, squeeze balls until compact and roll through flour, thoroughly coating.  If the meatballs lose shape, re-roll in flour.
10. Fry meatballs in a large pan with lots of olive oil.  Cook until golden brown.
11. Remove from pan and place on plate with paper towel to absorb oil.

To make sauce:

1. In a large pot, add a small amount of olive oil.  Turn to medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, allow to brown.
3. Tear mushrooms in half, add to pot.
4. Add salt and white wine, lower heat.
5. Add black pepper and pimenton dulce.
6. Add one glass of water and one spoonful flour, sprinkling flour in a bit at a time and stirring.
7. Add ham stock to taste.
8. Allow to all simmer together for about 5-7 minutes, until sauce thickens and mushrooms have softened a bit.  Add meatballs for 1-2 minutes at the end.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Yields 4-6 servings.