Certain styles of cooking have ‘irresistible’ written all over them, and Ben Tish’s Moorish-inspired dishes qualify big-time. These vibrant recipes from his new book will have you running into the kitchen for a cooking session extraordinaire

Albóndigas in almond and sherry vinegar sauce

book of the month.

I’ve long been intrigued by the spices, ingredients and flavours the Moors brought with them from North Africa, and the exotic, full flavoured and vibrant cuisines that resulted. The Moors’ influence on art, architecture, religion and food was profound, and my book explores how that influence lives on in the cuisines of Andalucía, Sicily and Portugal. Spices such as cumin, cardamom, saffron, coriander and ginger, and fruit such as apricots, raisins, oranges and pomegranates along with almonds, aubergines and peppers (all brought by the Moors) were absorbed into local food cultures, creating exotic dishes with a sun-soaked taste. I hope you enjoy them. BEN TISH

Albóndigas in almond and sherry vinegar sauce

SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN, SIMMERING TIME 10 MIN, PLUS 1 HOUR CHILLING

Albóndigas is the pleasingly evocative Spanish word for meatballs. Lamb would be more in keeping with Moorish culture but I love beef meatballs, and I’ve added chorizo for extra zing.

The almond and bread sauce is also typical of Andalucían- Moorish cooking.

MAKE AHEAD

Shape the meatballs (step 2), then cover and chill for up to a day.

FOOD TEAM’S TIP

Fry a piece of the meatball mixture before shaping to check the seasoning.

• 550g British beef mince

• 125g spicy chorizo, finely chopped

• 15g dried breadcrumbs

• 6 tbsp milk

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• ½ tsp hot smoked paprika

• Small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped, plus extra to garnish

• 1 medium free-range egg, beaten

• Glug olive oil

• 2 fresh bay leaves

ALMOND AND SHERRY VINEGAR SAUCE

• 25ml extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed, cut into pieces

• 40g ground almonds

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 4 tbsp dry white wine

• 4 tbsp sweet sherry vinegar (such as a pedro ximénez from souschef.co.uk; or use sweet balsamic vinegar – the food team use Belazu)

• 300ml good quality chicken stock

YOU’LL ALSO NEED…

• Food processor

1 Put the beef mince in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Combine the chorizo, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, smoked paprika and chopped parsley in a food processor and whizz to a rough paste. Add the chorizo mixture to the beef along with the egg. Mix very well to ensure everything is properly amalgamated.

2 Shape the mixture into about 28 ping-pong-size balls, then chill for at least 1 hour (see Make Ahead).

3 When the meatballs are ready, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a glug of olive oil. Fry the meatballs with the bay leaves in 2 batches until nicely browned all over. Transfer to a plate (discard the bay leaves).