The subject of meat is rather contentious and divisive. I was a vegetarian for many years but became a carnivore once again when we bought our property in rural Spain. Whether you are a vegetarian or a hardened meat eater I think we should all have a vested interest in the meat industry and animal welfare.
On my recent trip to Spain my friend wanted to visit a butcher or 'carniceria' to buy some meat for a chilli con carne, she was surprised by the display of dozens of different meat cuts from rabbit to pigs trotters and chickens - head and feet still intact. Even more surprising were the photos displayed around the walls, of the butcher's children participating in the slaughter of various animals.
In rural Spain much of the meat you see on display in the carniceria has come from animals that have been raised in natural conditions. Meat is greatly appreciated in rural Spain and it is very rare to encounter any waste. Spaniards are prepared to pay good money for their meat, the principle being 'It should cost money-It's a life'.
Jamon Iberico, also known as pata negra, is a Spanish national treasure, rigorous standards imposed on those who choose to farm the iberico pigs are so strict that the ham is in the same league as caviar, champagne and truffles. Pigs are allowed to roam free in sunlit fields of grass and herbs, with a population density of no more than two pigs per hectare of land. Fed on a diet of acorns, the resulting ham has a rich, creamy, melt in the mouth texture.
My friend no longer eats pork at home as she claims it tastes of fish! In the UK we eat animals who have been subjected to terrible and disturbing conditions and scientific evidence has proven that stress caused to animals has an adverse affect on the meat, there are even names for the consequences of abuse like pale soft exudative. Stress causes a rapid breakdown of muscle glycogen and turns the meat acidic........could this be the fishy taste my friend alludes to? And let us not forget these fear ridden animals are pumped full of antibiotics and a cocktail of additives, hardly conducive to a tasty piece of meat!
Imagine my friends surprise upon eating jamon iberico and indeed all the meat she ate whilst holidaying with me. Far better to have free-range or organic meat a couple of times a week, as the Spanish and Italians do, than unnatural, mass produced meat everyday.
I found it a pointless exercise as a vegetarian to try and convert meat eaters, however, I feel that if we can accept carnivores will always exist, (as will vegetarians) it would be far better to work together to help people make informed choices about quality over quantity.
This next recipe is a traditional Spanish dish, albondigas-Spanish meatballs, are a typical example of how inferior cuts of meat are ground down rendering them tender and flavourful and mixed with herbs and breadcrumbs, served with a delicious sauce these are often served as a tapas. You can use beef or pork or a combination of both, whatever meat you decide upon do ask your butcher where the animal comes from, what it's been fed on and how it's been treated.
Albondigas
Recipe
500g free-range minced beef or pork
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
3-4 tablespoons bread crumbs
For the sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
175ml stock
400g tin chopped tomatoes
Pulse onion and garlic in a food processor
Place mince in a bowl, add onion and garlic (I add a large pinch of cayenne, optional)
Add breadcrumbs and season, combine well
Roll mixture into balls, refrigerate for 30 minutes
In a large pan heat the oil, add onion and garlic, fry for 5 minutes
Add stock and tomatoes, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes
Add meatballs and simmer for 15-20 minutes
Serve with lots of crusty bread to mop up the juices or with rice or pasta
'Understand, when you eat meat, that something did die. You have an obligation to value it - not just the sirloin but all those wonderful tough little bits.'
-Anthony Bourdain
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