Spanish meatballs with clams, chorizo & squid

Method8 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel and dice all three small shallots, and peel and crush only the two garlic cloves for the meatball base. Melt all the butter (25 g) in a heavy-based casserole and soften the diced shallots for five minutes. Add the measured heaped teaspoon smoked paprika (1 heaped tsp) and both crushed garlic cloves, then cook for one minute until fragrant.

   Uses 25 g butter · 3 small shallots, diced · 1 heaped tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika · 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, for meatball base

2. 2

   Step 2: Splash the measured dry sherry (2 tbsp) into the aromatic pan, then pour the entire pan contents into a bowl with all the fresh breadcrumbs (50 g). Season this base with its salt and black pepper to taste, then let it cool before adding the raw pork and egg yolk.

   Uses The entire cooked aromatic base · 2 tbsp dry sherry · 50 g fresh breadcrumbs · Salt for the breadcrumb meatball base, to taste · Ground black pepper for the breadcrumb meatball base, to taste

3. 3

   Step 3: Add all the raw pork mince (300 g) and the single egg yolk (1) to the cooled breadcrumb base and beat together thoroughly. Divide the full mixture into eighteen small meatballs. Wash hands and clean utensils after handling the raw pork mixture.

   Uses The entire cooled breadcrumb base · 300 g raw pork mince · 1 egg yolk

4. 4

   Step 4: Wipe out the casserole, put it over medium-high heat and add all fifty millilitres frying olive oil (50 ml). Fry all the formed meatballs for five minutes to colour them, turning carefully. Lift them onto a plate while keeping the same cooking oil in the pan; the meatballs will finish cooking later in the sauce.

   Brown formed pork meatballs · 5 minUses All eighteen formed meatballs · 50 ml olive oil for frying

5. 5

   Step 5: Peel and slice the separate single garlic clove (1). Cut the chorizo (300 g) into bite-sized pieces and cut the cleaned raw squid (300 g) into rings. Sizzle all the chorizo and this sliced garlic in the retained pan oil, then add all the prepared squid rings and fry just long enough to give them a little colour.

   Uses The same pan and retained frying oil · 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced, for seafood pan · 300 g chorizo, cut into bite-sized pieces · 300 g cleaned raw squid, cut into rings

6. 6

   Step 6: Quickly scrub and rinse the live clam (400 g) shells under cold water, discarding the cleaning water. Discard cracked clams and any open clam that does not close when tapped. Wash and chop all the tomatoes (300 g), squeezing them to a pulp with clean hands. Pour all the white wine (100 ml) into the seafood-chorizo pan and bring to a boil, scraping its base. Stir in all the pulped tomatoes and bring back to a boil, then return all the browned meatballs and add all the cleaned live clams.

   Uses The full seafood-chorizo pan · 100 ml white wine · 300 g tomatoes, chopped and squeezed to a pulp · All eighteen browned meatballs · 400 g live clams in shells · Cold water for quickly rinsing clam shells, discarded

7. 7

   Step 7: Cover and simmer for five minutes as a guide, continuing until the clam shells open, squid is opaque and cooked through, and the centres of the small pork meatballs reach 71 °C / 160 °F. Discard clams that remain shut after cooking.

   Simmer until clams open and pork meatballs fully cooked · 5 minUses The entire assembled pot

8. 8

   Step 8: Wash and roughly chop the flat-leaf parsley. Scatter it over the complete cooked stew, finish with a drizzle of the separate extra-virgin olive oil, and serve as four portions with crusty bread.

   Uses The complete cooked stew · 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped · Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing, a drizzle · Crusty bread for serving, as desired