Ingredients

• 40g/1½oz thinly sliced crustless white bread
• 3 tbsp milk
• 125g/4½oz thinly sliced Serrano ham
• finely chopped
• 600g/1lb 5oz lamb mince
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 1½ tsp cumin seeds
• freshly ground
• 1½ tsp coriander seeds
• freshly ground
• ¾ tsp hot paprika
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• for frying
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150g/5oz shallots
• finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• crushed
• ½ tsp crushed dried chillies
• 800g/1lb 12oz vine-ripened tomatoes
• peeled
• chopped
• 200ml/7fl oz good quality fino sherry
• 200ml/7fl oz homemade chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable oil
• for frying
• 3 large potatoes
• peeled
• very finely julienned
• salt
• handful chopped flat-leaf parsely
• extra virgin olive oil

Directions

• For the albondigas
• soak the bread in the milk for five minutes
• then squeeze out the excess milk.
• Place the bread
• ham
• lamb mince
• garlic
• spices
• parsley and seasoning into a bowl and mix until well combined.
• Shape the mixture into approximately 40 meatballs (each weighing about 20g/¾oz).
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs for 4-5 minutes
• or until golden-brown all over. (You may need to do this in batches.)
• For the sauce
• heat the olive oil a frying pan and fry the shallots
• garlic and chilli for 8-10 minutes
• or until softened.
• Add the tomatoes
• sherry
• stock
• bay leaves
• salt and pepper and simmer gently
• stirring now and then
• for one hour
• or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
• Add the meatballs and simmer gently for five minutes or until heated through. Discard the bay leaves.
• Meanwhile
• for the patatas fritas
• heat a deep fat fryer to 120C/250F.
• Cook the potatoes for two minutes
• then remove them from the oil. Increase the temperature to 180C/350F and cook the potatoes for a further 4-5 minutes
• or until pale golden-brown. Remove the patatas fritas from the fryer and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt.
• To serve
• spoon the meatballs onto a plate
• scatter with a little chopped parsley and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve with the patatas fritas.