Spanish Meat Balls 🇪🇸

While Perth swelters in summer heat leading up to Christmas, I thought of friends and family living in the northern hemisphere in places like the United Kingdom, U.S.A. and Canada, trying to keep warm under freezing temperatures.  The last thing they want to read on my blog would be how to make a cold soup or an ice cream cake!  So what about some classic comfort food that warms your body and soul like saucy Spanish meat balls served over brown rice, creamy mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread?  Gather all the ingredients - some beef mince, and the usual suspects for a Mediterranean dish such as onions, garlic, paprika, parsley, capsicums, tomatoes and olives.  I happen to have a jar of Kalamata olives which I have picked from local trees and preserved.  Other types of olives will also suffice.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz mince beef
• 1 egg
• ⅔ cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leave parsley, plus extra for garnishing
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 capsicum, any colour, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup red wine (optional)
• 400g / 14 oz tinned tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup beef stock
• ½ cup olives
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, mix mince beef with egg, bread crumbs, milk, paprika and parsley until well combined.  With your hands, shape ingredients into little meat balls (about 30).  Lay them, with a little space between one another, on a large tray and keep them in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.
2. Heat oil a large non-stick frying pan to high.  Brown meatballs in batches until they are golden all over.  Add more oil if required.  They don't need to be fully cooked at this stage.  Set them aside on a plate.
3. In the same pan over medium heat, add onions and garlic and stir fry for a few minutes until the onions soften.  Add the capsicum and continue to stir fry for another minute.
4. Add tomato paste and let it cook with the other ingredients for a minute. 
5. Add wine, if using, and let it simmer for a minute to reduce.  Meanwhile, scrape the pan with a spatula to incorporate any brown bits.  Stir in the tomatoes, sugar and the stock.  Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.
6. Return the meat balls to the pan. Let them simmer over low heat in the sauce for 20 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened and the meat balls are cooked through.  Stir occasionally.  Toss in the olives.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with chopped parsley.