Meat Ball

Ingredients

• 0.5 kg ground beef
• salt pork or bacon
• garlic
• parsley
• breadcrumbs
• black pepper
• lemon juice
• salt
• 2 eggs
• manteca (lard) or oil

Instructions

1. Combine the ground beef with finely minced salt pork, garlic, and parsley. Add a little breadcrumbs, black pepper, lemon juice, and salt. Mix in the beaten eggs and knead everything together until well incorporated.
2. Shape the mixture into a ball and wrap it tightly in a clean cloth napkin, drawing the corners together so it forms a compact sphere.
3. Place the wrapped ball into simmering cocido (Spanish stew), leaving the cloth napkin corners exposed above the broth. Simmer for one hour.
4. Remove the ball and, without unwrapping it, place it between two wooden boards and weight it down. Leave it overnight under the weight.
5. The next day, unwrap carefully and slice into thin slices. Coat each slice in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, then fry in very hot manteca or oil until golden.
6. Serve hot.