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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...

Zucchini and Mushroom Parcels



This is such a lovely way to serve zucchini, especially when you've got more than you know what to do with! These little parcels work beautifully alongside meat or fish, or you can make them the star of the meal with a fresh salad on the side.
In the photo, I've paired them with Pork loin with anchovy sauce and Duchess potatoes.


Ingredients

for 8 parcels
  • 300g mixed small mushrooms.
  • 2 zucchini.
  • 1/2 leek.
  • 1 tablespoon flour.
  • 100ml milk.
  • salt.
  • freshly ground black pepper.
  • olive oil.

Preparation

Start by cleaning your mushrooms. If they're on the larger side, chop them into smaller pieces.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and add the leek, finely chopped. Let it soften for about 2 minutes, then toss in the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, and cook everything together until the mushrooms are tender.
Once they're done, sprinkle in the flour and stir well so it gets a chance to cook through. Pour in the milk and keep stirring until the mixture thickens into a nice creamy filling. Set this aside for now.
Slice your zucchini lengthwise into strips about half a centimeter thick. Fry them in a pan with a drizzle of oil until they're tender and lightly golden. Don't forget to salt them while they cook.
Now comes the fun part. Take two zucchini strips and lay them crosswise in a small bowl or ramekin.
Spoon a good tablespoon of the mushroom filling right in the center.
Fold the zucchini strips up and over to form a neat little parcel.
When you're ready to serve, just warm them through gently in the oven.

Enjoy!
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