Spanish Recipes - Albondigas
Spanish Meatballs are made with a blend of veal and pork, rather than 100% minced beef. They are smaller than Italian meatballs. Albondigas are typically served in Tapas bars all over Spain (in the classic clay dishes) and often as the main course of the “Menu del Dia”, particularly in the colder months. Albondigas are made with various sauces (the most typical is the white wine sauce, and there are almond based and tomato based sauces as well). They are usually served on their own (not with rice or pasta). They are delicious, and pair perfectly with the rich red wines from La Rioja or Ribera del Duero. This recipe for Spanish Meatballs (Avila style) has been contributed to Cellar Tastings by Javier Francisco Martin Galan, a Madrid based Fashion Designer and Culinary Enthusiast. This recipe has been passed down in his family for generations.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of Mince (¾ Beef or veal with ¼ Pork)
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 3 ½ ounces Breadcrumbs
- Flour to coat meatballs
- Parsley
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Olive Oil for frying
Sauce
- 1 Large Onion
- 1 cup White Wine
- Olive Oil for frying
Preparation
Place the mince in a large bowel. In a separate smaller bowel, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. Add two eggs to the breadcrumb mix, stirring with a wooden spoon. With a pestle and mortar, smash the garlic. Chop the parsley. Add the parsley and garlic to the breadcrumbs blend, and then place contents into the blender until fully smooth. Place all of the contents of the blender into the larger bowel of mince, stirring with a wooden spoon until fully blended. Now you will begin to form the meatballs. In your hand, take one or two tablespoons of the mince and roll it into a ball. Place the ball in a teacup, cover it with your hand, and shake. This gives the meatballs a good, round finish and makes them denser and more compact which will protect them from breaking apart when frying. Cover the balls in flour.Once you have formed all of the meatballs, heat a deep pan and fill half way with olive oil. When the olive oil is extremely hot, place the meatballs in the pan and brown them entirely. Be careful not to burn the meatballs, keep turning them until they are browned. They don’t have to be cooked inside at this point. In a separate pot, place a one inch deep layer of olive oil and heat. Finely dice the onions and add the onions to the hot pot. Fry the onions until golden and then add a tablespoon of flour to the pot. Stir in a bit more flour to thicken (before adding any liquid, otherwise the flour will become bumpy), and then add the white wine and 1 cup of water. Keep the pot on high heat and add the browned meatballs to the pot, covering them with a bit more water if necessary. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat to simmer for 30 minutes during which time the meatballs will cook fully inside. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the meatballs with a full bodied, Spanish wine.
Try this dish with: Mas Doix , Doix Costers del Vinyes Celles, Priorat region
Priorat is fast becoming Spain’s chicest regions for super high quality boutique wines, adored by the wine critics and collectors alike. The Llicorella slate like soils are extremely high in minerals and are one of the key factors to the quality and ageing potential of Priorat wines. Low yields are another factor. The most famous wines of Priorat include L’Ermita from Alvaro Palacios, Clos Mogador from Rene Barbier and Clos de l’Obac from Carles Pastrana. Mas Doix is the new darling of many wine magazines, and has recently received the spectacular score of 98+ from Robert Parker. Parker says: “A prodigious effort, the 2001 Doix is a blend of 55% Grenache (from 90+ year old vines) and 45% Carignan (from 100+ year old vines). There are about 300 cases for the U.S. market. An inky/purple color is followed by sumptuous aromas of scorched earth, creme de cassis, graphite, licorice, and a hint of balsamic vinegar. Rich, unctuously-textured, and full-bodied, but tremendously layered and nuanced, I was surprised to learn it was aged in 100% new French oak. The finish lasts for 50+ seconds. It should evolve nicely for 12-15 years, possibly longer." 98+ Points! Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate, Issue 152
Wines and Wineries from Greece
Greece has been producing wine for, quite literally, thousands of years. The writings of great philosophers including Homer, Plato, Virgil and Pliny, testify to the production of wine since the 13th century BC. The Greeks taught the Romans about wine production, the Romans took this knowledge to Gaul (France) and the rest is history. For a country with such an illustrious wine history, it’s tragic that “Retsina” (wine to which pine resin is added during fermentation, and a wine responsible for many a tourist’s hangover) is the only wine known to most foreigners. Some superb wines are being produced in Modern Greece in the Peloponnese, Crete, Samos, Patras, Santorini, and more. Greece is beginning to understand the potential of wine tourism, and now many of the beautiful wineries, particularly on the Greek Islands, are open to the public. The following short overview highlights the main wine regions and grape varieties of Greece with related links to find out more information.
Wines from Northern Greece
Naoussa, Goumenissa and Amyntaion are the main sub regions (in Macedonia and Thrace), with Naoussa being the most highly regarded. Xynomavro is the principal native grape variety, a red grape used to make extra dry wines. In Naoussa, the grapes are grown on Mount Vermio at altitudes of up to 1100 feet. The wines here are oak aged and increasingly, fermented in oak barrels (improving the quality). Boutari is the biggest winery brand in Naoussa. In Goumenissa, Xynomavro is again the main red grape, but smaller amounts of sparkling rose wine is also made with a blend of the Xynomavro and Negoska (to make a “Blanc de Noirs”). Another famous wine from northern Greece is Cotes de Meliton, which is a newish appellation located on the slopes of Mount Meliton. The winery tends to veer away from Greek varietals, opting for classic French ones instead, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Saying that, a white wine made of the native Malagousia grape has been successful.
Wines from the Peloponnese
This beautiful southern Greek region is home to quite a few wine Appellations. The most famous AC in Greece, Nemea, is located here, along with Patras and Mantinia. In Nemea, the most common grape grown is the velvety rich Agiorgitiko. The soil where Agiorgitiko is cultivated is red and the resulting wines are an intense, flavourful quality red. Top brands of Nemea include the wonderful Gaia Estate (whose wines are available from London to New York in top wine merchants). Gaia Estate was founded in the early 90’s in Santorini and expanded their company to build a phenomenal winery in Nemea in 1997. Their winemaker, Yiannis Paraskevopoulos, is today considered one of Greece’s best. In Patras, and interesting sweet red wine is made from the Mavrodaphne and Korinthiaki grapes. It’s made in a Port wine style and can be aged for up to 10 years in oak. The other typical wine from Patras is the local dry, white wine made with the Rhoditis grape and called “Patras”. There is also a sweet Muscat wine made in the French Vin Doux Naturel style. In Mantinia, a smaller sub-region, the classic wine is Moschophilero, a sweet white wine made with red grapes.
Wines from Santorini
Santorini is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Greek Islands. It’s amazing that they have been able to maintain their traditional wine industry despite the pressure from hotels to build. The wines produced on the gorgeous volcanic island are mainly white and typically sweet. The most famed wine is Asyrtiko blended with Athiri and Aedani, producing a luscious honey wine. Vissanto is another wine made, clearly showing the Italian influence on the island’s history, made in the same way as Vin Santo in Italy with partially dried grapes to produce a thick almost elixir of a wine. The one thing all of the wines from Santorini have in common is their powerful nose; the Asyrtiko is especially aromatic. To producers of Santorini wine include Boutari, Hatzidakis, Santo, Roussos and Nomikos.
Other Greek Wines
Wines are produced all over the Greek mainland and islands, but there are a few certain wines that stand out above the rest. In Cephalonia (the Ionian island close to Corfu and Zante), a famed sweet Muscat is made along with an interesting white wine called Robola, which produces bone dry, perfumed wines. Ribbolla is a grape grown in Northern Italy, and due to Cephalonia’s history, it is quite possible that the grape is the same. A sweet red wine is also made in Cephalonia, made with a blend of Muscat and the native Mavrodaphne grapes. In the island of Lemnos, one of Greece’s most famous wines is produced- Muscat of Lemnos made with the - Muscat de Alexandria grape. In Samos, another famed Muscat is made, simply called “Muscat of Samos”, made with the Muscat a Petits Grains. The Muscat wines of Samos can be fermented dry or can be unctuously sweet such as the “Samos Nectar”. Finally, one of Greece’s other famed wines would have to be the Liatiko red wine produced in the Daphne sub region of Crete.
