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Meatballs with Cuttlefish and Peas

Meat and cuttlefish make such a lovely pair. Around here, we've always mixed land and sea on the same plate — it's pure Mediterranean tradition, the kind of cooking that's been passed down through generations in coastal towns like mine. The secret to this dish is the picada we'll add at the end. That's what really brings everything together. Ingredients for 4 people for the meatballs. 750g uncleaned cuttlefish, save 3 ink sacs from the cuttlefish. 2 onions, chopped. 1/2 leek, sliced. 1 carrot, diced. 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped. 1/2 liter fish stock here . 1/2 liter chicken broth. 50ml dry white wine. olive oil and salt. 400g peas, lightly boiled.  For the meatballs 600g ground meat, veal and pork mixed. 1 whole egg. 150g bread crumb (soft inside part of bread). milk to soak the bread. salt and pepper. flour for coating. For the picada 2 small slices of bread, toasted. 20 toasted almonds. 2 tablespoons tomato sofregit. P...

Christmas Orange Cookies


If you leave these out where anyone can see them, they won't last five minutes!



Ingredients

for 25 cookies
  • 300g pastry flour.
  • 40g sugar (optional, can be left out).
  • grated zest of half an orange.
  • 200g butter (cold from the fridge).
  • 40g orange juice.
  • 20g dry white wine.
  • powdered sugar for dusting.

Preparation

Toast the flour in a deep skillet (you can also do this in the oven). Use a wooden spatula to stir and break up any lumps that form as it heats. Then sift it through a fine sieve.
Let it cool down completely.
Once it's cooled, mix it with the grated orange zest, sugar, wine, orange juice, and butter.
Work it well with your hands until it comes together into a ball.
Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out flat with a rolling pin.
Trim the edges to make a neat rectangle.
Now fold it like a letter — bring one side to the center of the rectangle.
Then fold the other side over the top.
Roll it out again until it's about 1.5 centimeters thick.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
After the hour is up, preheat your oven to 180°C.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters — whatever designs you like. Gather up the scraps, roll them into a ball, and repeat the process.
Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, just until they're lightly golden.
When they're done, take them out and let them cool.
Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy them while they're fresh.


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