Albondigas con Chipotle (Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce)

Albondigas, Spanish for meatballs, is a popular Mexican dish. In this recipe, the sauce gets its spicy, roasted flavor from chipotle peppers (smoked jalapenos packed in adobo sauce), which add a smoky flavor and a broad, lingering heat. Serve over white rice, or with rice and beans for an entree, or as individiual hors d'oeuvres.

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cooking Time: 35 Minutes

Yield: 6 Servings

Source: EthnicGrocer

 

Ingredients:

 

6 Tomatoes, fresh, halved

1 pound Ground beef

4 Tablespoon(s) Bread crumbs

4 cloves Garlic, 2 chopped, 2 whole

3 Eggs

2-1/4 teaspoons Cumin, ground

 

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper, freshly ground to taste

4 Chipotle chiles in adobo

1 cup Chicken stock

1 Tbsp Oregano, dried

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil

Instructions:

To roast tomatoes, grill or broil them as close to heat as possible, turning as needed, until skin is blackened in spots, about 3 minutes on each side. Cool. When cool enough to handle, remove skins. Reserve.

Combine beef, bread crumbs, chopped garlic, eggs, 2 teaspoons cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover mixture, and let chill in refrigerator.

In a blender or food processor, blend reserved tomatoes with chipotles, stock, whole garlic cloves, remaining cumin, and oregano.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the tomato sauce, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, and bring mixture to a boil.

Meanwhile, make uniform medium-sized meatballs from meat mixture. Add meatballs to simmering sauce and cook about 25 minutes.

Serve as an entree over rice, or alone as an hors d'oeuvre.