This iconic Spanish tapa took me right back to my favourite tapas bar/s in Menorca. I adapted the recipe from Food & Wine but didn't actually make the meatballs as I had some ready made in the freezer from the Swedish Meatballs that I made a couple of months ago (to be posted one of these days!). The tomato sauce was spot on, even though I substituted canned for fresh tomatoes.
The full recipe including meatballs can be found here.
Serves 6
For the meatballs
Use the meatball recipe in the link above, or use your favourite meatball recipe with an equivalent amount of beef, pork or chicken (about 1 ½ lbs)
Brown the meatballs in a skillet with 2 tbsp EVOO and set aside while preparing the sauce.
For the sauce
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp EVOO
14oz can whole plum tomatoes
1/2 large Vidalia (sweet) or yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons brandy (or dry sherry)
1 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
For the mushrooms
1lb mushrooms (oysters, creminis, trumpet....)
1/8 cup EVOO
Method
Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the flour. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then set the roux aside.
Heat the EVOO in a large frying pan or dutch oven (big enough to handle all the meatballs)
Sauté the onions and carrots for about 8 minutes, then add the garlic and a pinch of salt
Grate all of the plum tomatoes into the pan, but save the sauce for another time.
Add the paprika, stir in the roux, wine and brandy (or sherry) and cook until slightly thickened.
Purée the tomato mixture with an immersion blender (or countertop blender) until the sauce is smooth.
Stir in the chicken stock and check the seasoning.
Add the meatballs to the sauce, pop the lid on and set on a low simmer for a minimum of 30-60 minutes (I cooked them for about 4 hours, the longer the better).
Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil until golden brown
Serve mushrooms as a side to the meatballs
