Spanish Meatballs with Tomato-Saffron Sauce Spanish Meatballs with Tomato-Saffron Sauce Chef Jumoke Jackson 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 tbsp. 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: • The Perfect Purée Chipotle Sour blend, thawed • 11/2 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 • GARNISH: Rosemary sprigs or toothpicks, optional • GARNISH: Your favorite hard cheese, optional Method: 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. Apply The Perfect Purée Chipotle Sour blend as glaze over meatballs. Keep warm until ready to serve. 8. OPTIONAL: Garnish by skewering with rosemary sprigs or toothpick and your favorite grated hard cheese.
