Albóndigas de Choco: Andalusian Cuttlefish Meatballs

Method11 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Clean the cuttlefish (1 lb) thoroughly, rinse with clean water and drain well. Chop it into large chunks. Keep seafood cold until processing.

   Uses 1 lb raw cuttlefish · Clean water, for rinsing the cuttlefish

2. 2

   Step 2: Put the cuttlefish chunks in a food processor with the roughly chopped small onion, the meatball garlic (2 cloves), ½ cup parsley, both eggs (2) and the 2 oz breadcrumbs. Add a small pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Process until mostly smooth; a few small lumps are fine.

   Uses Cleaned and drained cuttlefish chunks · 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped · 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped · ½ cup flat-leaf parsley · 2 eggs · 2 oz breadcrumbs · A pinch of salt, or to taste · A pinch of black pepper, or to taste

3. 3

   Step 3: Cover the meatball mixture and refrigerate at 4°C or colder for at least 30 minutes.

   Chill meatball mixture · 30 minUses Mixed raw cuttlefish meatball mixture

4. 4

   Step 4: Lightly flour your hands and shape all the chilled mixture into around 30 meatballs, using just over a tablespoon for each. They may feel a little loose. Dredge each lightly in flour and put on a tray; leave excess coating flour behind. Keep the raw balls refrigerated until their frying batch is ready.

   Uses Chilled raw meatball mixture · Flour, for lightly dusting hands and dredging the meatballs

5. 5

   Step 5: Add olive oil to a large skillet to a depth of about 1 inch and heat over medium-high heat. When a meatball bubbles promptly on contact, add an uncrowded batch of 5–6. Fry the first side until golden, beginning to check after 3 minutes; the source guide is 3–4 minutes per side.

   Check first frying side · 3 minUses Olive oil, enough for about 1 inch depth in the frying skillet · First uncrowded batch of 5–6 flour-coated raw meatballs

6. 6

   Step 6: Turn the current batch and fry the second side for about 3–4 minutes, checking at 3 minutes. Both sides should be golden and the centres fully cooked, reaching at least 71°C because the mixture contains raw eggs. Lift onto kitchen paper to drain. Repeat both frying stages with the remaining raw balls, letting the oil return to frying heat between batches, until all are cooked.

   Check second frying side · 3 minUses Current meatball batch after its first frying side · Remaining flour-coated raw meatballs, for later batches

7. 7

   Step 7: Use the same skillet for the sauce. Carefully pour excess frying oil into a suitable heatproof container, leaving enough used oil to sauté the onion. Add the finely diced medium onion and cook until soft and translucent. Have the sliced sauce garlic ready.

   Uses An unmeasured portion of the frying oil left after all meatball batches · 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the sauce garlic (2 cloves) and smoked paprika (1 tsp) to the softened onion. Stir for 1–2 minutes, checking after 1 minute, until fragrant without scorching.

   Check sauce aromatics · 1 minUses Softened sauce onion in retained frying oil · 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced · 1 tsp smoked paprika

9. 9

   Step 9: Add the white wine (⅔ cup) and bay leaf (1) to the aromatic onion mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes, until the wine has reduced.

   Reduce the wine · 5 minUses Fried sauce onion, garlic and paprika · ⅔ cup white wine · 1 bay leaf

10. 10

    Step 10: Add the 1⅓ cups fish stock to the reduced wine mixture. Simmer until it has a sauce-like consistency that coats a spoon. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

    Uses Reduced wine and aromatic sauce base · 1⅓ cups ready fish stock · Salt, to taste · Black pepper, to taste

11. 11

    Step 11: Arrange the cooked meatballs in serving bowls and spoon the hot sauce over them. Garnish with fresh parsley leaves and serve promptly.

    Uses All cooked and drained cuttlefish meatballs · Finished hot sauce, as needed for serving · Fresh parsley leaves, to garnish