For your enjoyment…

Are you like me on weekends or special holidays or when you have guests? On those occasions I like to cook something very special, not the usual fare. Then I’m either spoilt for choice or nothing occurs to me. If even the most intensive search on the internet comes to nothing, or leafing through piles of cookbooks fails to offer a solution, try out our Recipe of the Month! 

From chefs of the Schick restaurants in Vienna, every month there will be a new, seasonal recipe from Austrian-Spanish or Viennese cuisine for you to cook and enjoy at home!

In September 2012 –recipe by Johannes Reiser – Chef at the decorated Restaurant “Das Schick”:

Albondigas of Bonito del Norte (white tuna)
with saffron aioli, on lettuce in Viennese dressing

Ingredients for 4 servings (approx. 12 – 16 little balls):
300 g Bonito del Norte (white tuna), canned
200 g potatoes, cooked and peeled
2 garlic cloves
3 shallots, finely sliced
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tbsp. black olives, finely diced
1 tbsp. green  olives, finely diced
juice of 1 lemon
salt, pepper, 1 pinch of cumin
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
oil for frying

Saffron aioli:
2 egg yolks
0.25 l olive oil
1 packet of saffron
juice of 1 lemon
3 – 4 garlic cloves
salt, pepper

Lettuce & Viennese dressing:
1 head of lettuce
white wine vinegar
sunflower oil
Kremser (sweet) or tarragon mustard
salt, pepper
sugar to taste, some water

Preparation:

Albondigas (little balls) from Bonito del Norte:
Press potatoes using a potato ricer. Mix together with all ingredients, adding the drained ingredients and slightly pressed tuna first. Form little balls, fry and briefly allow to drip (Mr. Reiser recommends frying one ball as a test – in case the balls are not solid enough, you might solidify them with a bit of breadcrumbs.)

Saffron aioli:
Briefly simmer saffron strings in several tablespoons of water. Thicken by letting it sit and evaporate somewhat, then strain saffron. Mix together egg yolks, pressed garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and cooked saffron, slowly add oil and whip into a creamy consistency using a hand blender. Season to taste.

Lettuce & Viennese dressing:
Wash and rinse lettuce. Mix together vinegar, mustard, spices and oil to taste into a dressing. Briefly marinade lettuce leaves or draw lettuce leaves through the marinade.

Serve albondigas with lettuce and saffron aioli as desired – or such as in our photo.

We wish you much success!