Ingredients

• 25g butter
• 3 shallots, diced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp dry sherry
• 50g breadcrumbs
• 300g pork mince
• 1 egg yolk
• 50ml olive oil
• 300g chorizo, sliced
• 300g squid, cleaned and sliced
• 100ml white wine
• 300g tomatoes, pulped
• 400g clams, cleaned
• handful parsley, chopped
• drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Equipment

• heavy-based casserole or deep pan with lid
• mixing bowl
• tongs or slotted spoon

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a heavy casserole over medium heat, then add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, so they sweeten instead of tasting sharp.
2. Stir in the smoked paprika and minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, which wakes up the paprika and stops it tasting raw.
3. Splash in the sherry and let it bubble for a few seconds, then tip the whole mixture into a bowl with the breadcrumbs. Season, stir, and let it cool so it does not cook the meat.
4. Add the pork mince and egg yolk to the cooled mixture and mix well with your hands until fully combined. Shape into 18 small, even meatballs so they cook at the same rate.
5. Wipe the pan clean, set over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil. Fry the meatballs for about 5 minutes, turning, just until browned on the outside (they will finish cooking in the sauce). Lift them onto a plate, leaving the oil behind.
6. Add the sliced chorizo and finely chopped garlic to the same pan and sizzle for a couple of minutes until the chorizo releases its red oil, which flavors the whole dish.
7. Add the squid and fry briefly, just until it picks up a little color, about 1 to 2 minutes, so it stays tender and does not turn rubbery.
8. Pour in the white wine, bring to a boil, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
9. Stir in the pulped tomatoes and bring back to a boil, then return the meatballs and add the clams. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes until the clam shells open. Discard any clams that stay shut.
10. Scatter over the chopped parsley, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and serve straight from the pan with crusty bread.