Spanish Meatballs with Spicy Red Sauce
Amber Lynne - farmer, Food Services Director/Head Chef at Schoolcraft Learning Community, and chef-owner of Table for 7 in Bemidji - loves food so much that she frequently has to kick herself out of her home kitchen and force herself to rest after her long workdays at the school and restaurant end. Her experience and dedication as both a farmer and a chef have provided her with valuable insights about food, including a deep respect for animals, the journey from soil to plate and the many benefits of local foods.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup panko
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion minced
- ½ cup carrot diced fine
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- kosher salt to taste
- 2 medium tomatoes blanched, peeled and chopped
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- pepper to taste
Mushroom Garnish
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt to taste
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix until incorporated. Do not pack the meat as you mix. Form into 1½-inch meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and cook meatballs over moderately high heat, turning until browned all over. Alternatively, bake meatballs in an oven at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.
- For sauce, heat olive oil in another saucepan and add onion, carrot, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown. Add tomatoes, paprika and red pepper flakes. Simmer over moderate heat until slightly reduced, 3-5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, wine and sherry and simmer until barely thickened. Transfer to a blender and purée until very smooth. Return to saucepan, whisk in stock and bring to a boil. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.
- For mushrooms, heat oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms, thyme sprigs and garlic. Give a pinch of salt and sauté until mushrooms have crispy edges. Don't crowd the pan. If mushrooms are large, cut them into bite-size pieces.
- Spoon meatballs and sauce into bowls, top with mushrooms and a pinch of chopped parsley and serve.