Albondigas con Gambas

For the meatballs: Yield 33 lb or 350 meatballs at 1.5 oz

• 20 lbs pork butt diced (1 ea pork butt)
• 8 lbs of pork belly diced (1/2 pork belly)
• 150 gr salt
• 2 loaves of fillone bread peeled and diced
• 15 cloves of garlic
• 15 gr. black pepper
• 14 eggs
• 3 bunches parsley

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For the meatball stew

• 90 frozen meatballs
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 quarts Chicken Stock
• 2 quarts Lobster stock
• 2 quarts mushroom water
• 3 white onion, very finely diced
• 4 small carrots, peeled and very finely diced
• 1 pint tomato sauce
• 1 pint dry red wine
• 1 cup of Picada kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quarts dried black trumpet mushrooms

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Final presentation:

• 5 meatballs stew with a few black trumpets
• 2 head-on shrimp peeled.

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To make the meatballs:

• Put the bread in a large bowl and pour the milk over it to soak. Let stand until very soft.
• Pour out any excess milk. Add the diced pork, garlic cloves, parsley, egg, salt and pepper. Pass through the meat grinder and mix with your hands until everything is evenly distributed.
• Lightly wet or oil your hands and pinch off enough of the meat mixture to roll into a 2-inch ball(1 oz)  Transfer to a half sheet trays.

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To make the pork meatball stew:

• Put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover. Let stand until softened, about 15 minutes, then drain save the water.
• In a shallow pot put the olive oil and the onions, cook for about 5 minutes until the onion are translucent. add carrots and cook for about 20 more minutes until sofrito is a bit caramelized. Add tomato sauce and cook for another 5 minutes all together.
• Add wine, reduce to half and cover with the chicken stock , lobster stock and mushroom water. Let all cook for about 20 minutes together.
• in the meantime pass Meatballs slightly through flour. Deep fry until golden brown
• Put meatballs and the soaked trumpets mushrooms inside the sauce, cook for another 45-60 minutes low heat.
• Add picada  cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Refrigerate overnight.

For service:

• Heat up 5 meatballs with sauce and some of the mushrooms until the meatball is hot inside. Add two head on peeled shrimp in the sauce and let cook for about 1-2 minutes.
• Plate as pictured.

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These meatballs are better the day after are made.