Albóndigas

serves 2

Ingredients:

* 300 g half and half minced meat
* 1 half teaspoon cayenne powder
* 2 medium sized eggs
* 4 garlic cloves
* Parsley
* Breadcrumbs
* 1 yellow paprika
* 1 green paprika
* 1 red paprika
* 1 middle sized onion
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 pack of Heinz tomato frito (or other brand)
* Water to make the sauce thinner if you want

Preparations:

This is also a recipe my father taught me. There are many ways to prepare this dish, but this is the way how my dad taught me.

Take a large bowl and put together the minced meat, eggs, parsley to taste and the cayenne powder. Use a garlic squeezer to squeeze the garlic in the bowl. Mix well. Add the breadcrumbs until the meat starts to gain structure. If you think it is strong enough to make a ball with, do so, if not add more breadcrumbs. Now put some breadcrumb on a kitchen towell. Roll the balls through the breadcrumb and let them rest on a plate or whatever you have.
Cut the onion in half rings, and the paprika in slices. Cut these slices in half.
Heat up a saute pan and fry the meatballs until brown at every side. Remove them. You should have some oil left. Now stir-fry the paprika and onion until the onion looks glassy. Add the tomato frito, with the bay leaf, and water (if you want). Mix well and add the meatballs. Put the heat on low and place the lid on the pan.
Leave alone for a while, stirring every now and then. After 15 - 30 minutes the meatballs should be thoroughly cooked. Turn of the heat and serve. This dish tastes well with boiled potatoes, rice, or bread. You could also use this dish as tapas or appetizer. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do, and hopefully until soon!

Yours truly,

Mike

Chorizo in tomatosauce

serves 4

Ingredients:

* 1 chorizo sausage
* 1 red paprika
* 1 yellow paprika
* 1 green paprika
* 1 small can of corn
* 1 red onion (or normal onion if you don't have red)
* red tabasco (or hot pepper sauce)
* 1 pack of Heinz tomato frito (or any other brand)
* cumin
* 1 bay leaf
* garlic powder
* rice

Additional:
* salt

Preparations:

Cook the rice following the instructions on the package. Personally I like to use Surinamese rice with the follwing instructions: 1 cup of rice, 1,5 cup of water per person. Cook the rice while stirring on highest heat until cooking, then lower to lowest heat and close the lit. Stir every now and then until it cooks dry. I'd like to use 1 cup of rice for two persons, as it is quite much for my taste.

Cut the chorizo in 1 cm cubes. Cut the paprika's and onion in slices.
Heat up a casserole until it reached temperature. Add a small amount of oil (as the chorizo is fat enough as it is) and stir fry the chorizo until it reached color. Now put in the onion and paprika's and stir fry until the onion looks glassy. Now add the corn (without the water!) and stir until mixed.
Now we can start making the sauce. Put in  the whole tomato frito, and 100 ml of water. Add 1 tablespoon of cumin, 1 bayleaf and one dessertspoon of garlic powder. Now put in the tabaso or hot peper sauce to taste. Mix everything well. If the sauce is too thick, add some more water. Taste if you like it, if not add some salt or pepper sauce. If you are satisfied, turn the heat of and serve with rice.

This is a recipe I made up by myself, inspired by my roots.
My dad is from Gran Canaria, which is one of the 7 Canary Islands belonging to Spain.

I certainly hope you enjoy this dish, and I hope to see you return!
Yours truly,

Mike