Delicious Spanish meatballs (albondigas deliciosas)

Made these tonight and served them with yellow rice. They were scrumptious! Taste a bit of your hungarian pepper.  If it happens to be a hot one, be sure to devein and deseed or use less.

Serves 4

Meatballs

1 1/3 lb ground chuck

1/2 large onion, chopped fine

1/2 hungarian pepper, chopped fine

2 fat garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped prosciutto or serrano ham

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

1/2 cup sherry

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp mexican oregano (or 1/2 tsp Italian oregano)

1/4 tsp oregano

1 tsp smoked spanish paprika

Liquid drained from 1 can of chopped tomatoes

Mix all together, adding more liquid if it doesn't seem moist enough. Put a tbl of mixture into a microwave proof dish and microwave on high 40 seconds. Taste and correct seasonings. Form mixture into meatballs.

Sauce

1-2 tbl olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped fine

1/2 hungarian pepper, chopped fine

2 fat garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped prosciutto or serrano ham

1/2 cup chopped Spanish chorizo

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained and pureed

1 can tomato sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp mexican oregano

1/4 tsp oregano

1 tsp smoked spanish paprika

Saute onion, garlic, peppers, prosciutto and chorizo in olive oil. Add tomatoes, sauce, herbs and season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Add meatballs and bring sauce back to simmer. Cover and let cook about 10 minutes. Uncover and let simmer about 20 minutes or until sauce is reduced.

Serve with yellow rice.

Yellow Rice

Saute a few tbl of chopped onion if you have it. Add 2 cups chicken stock with a good pinch of saffron and bring to a boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups rice, cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered another 5 minutes.