Lamb Meatballs "St. Clement"

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Vivian Mitchell in Canada for sharing this with us:

A doctor was addressing a large audience. "The material we put into our
stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here years ago. Red
meat is awful. Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining. Chinese food is
loaded with MSG. High fat diets can be disastrous, and none of us
realizes the long-term harm caused by the germs in our drinking water.
But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and most of us
have, or will, eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that
causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?"

After several seconds of quiet, a 75-year-old man in the front row
raised his hand, and softly said, "Wedding cake?"

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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My source doesn't say why these little morsels are named for St.
Clement, but it does mention that they hail from the Pyrenees in
northeastern Spain where lamb is the prevalent meat. You can substitute
beef in this recipe with excellent results.

Lamb Meatballs "St. Clement" (Albondigas "Sant Climent")

1 lb (450 g) ground lamb
1 egg
1-3 cloves garlic, mashed through a garlic press
1/2 cup (125 ml) bread crumbs
2 Tbs (30 ml) red wine or water
2 Tbs (30 ml) chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) beef stock
1/4 cup (60 ml) tomato sauce
1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy (preferably Spanish) or cognac

Combine the lamb, egg, garlic, bread crumbs, wine, parsley, salt, and
pepper in a bowl and knead to mix thoroughly. Form into about 30 small
balls. Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the
meatballs until browned on all sides. Add the onion and cook until
tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a
boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Mon Feb 25 21:09:14 2008