Sopa de Albondigas (Meatball Soup)

Place the stale breadcrumbs in a bowl and cover with milk. Let the bread soak for 5 minutes.

Beat the egg in a large bowl. Chop half of the garlic cloves and add the chopped garlic and the chopped parsley, ground beef, ground almonds, salt, pepper, soy sauce and breadcrumbs (drained well). Mix well. Let the mixture stand for at least 30 minutes in the fridge to mix the flavors.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Peel and cut the onion into very thin strips. Set these aside.

Peel the other half of the garlic and crush it in a mortar with the sprigs of parsley and thyme. Or if preferred you can process them in a food processor. Set aside for now.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.

Remove the meat from the fridge and form the meatballs, each about the size of a walnut. Put some flour on a plate. Roll the meatballs in the flour and fry them in the olive oil on a medium heat, until browned on all sides.Remove the meatballs and set aside.

In the same oil fry potatoes until lightly browned on all sides. Remove potatoes from the pan and set aside with the meatballs.

To prepare the sauce: Remove the oil from the pan leaving only 3 tablespoons and fry the onion until transparent. Add the tablespoon of flour and the wine. Dilute the garlic mixture from the mortar or food processor with a little bit of the broth then add it into the onions. Stir for about a minute then remove from heat.

In a soup pot, add the onion mixture, the potatoes and meatballs and the rest of the broth or water. Also add the bay leaf and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are ready.

Serve hot, with crusty bread.