There's a reason I'm going back to this very traditional preparation (the versions in Mexican Everyday and Authentic Mexican have been very popular among my readers). Including it in the small group of go-to, committed-to-memory recipes enables me to explain the big-picture basics that led me to the exact proportions I use to make great meatballs when I walk into the kitchen. Plus, knowing these basics allows me to vary the outcome based on who I'm cooking for, what I have on hand or what I've found at the farmers' market or grocery. A basic meatball is typically a combination of ground meat, something to soften the meat's tendency toward firmness and something else to keep it from falling apart. In Mexico, the meat is typically ground pork, beef or a combination of the two, though I have made this recipe very successfully with ground lamb, turkey and chicken thigh. The typical softener in Mexico is cooked rice (fresh breadcrumbs work well, too), and an egg helps hold it together. Besides salt, the typical seasoning for the meat in Mexico is chopped fresh mint (other herbs, such as oregano or parsley, are good alternatives); like many Mexican cooks, I like to add garlic, too. Another great addition is chopped fresh bacon.
Browning the meatballs in a large skillet and adding the simple ingredients of a tomato-chipotle sauce turns out one of the most crowd-pleasing dishes I know. I like to serve meatballs with rice or mashed potatoes and a salad.
INGREDIENTS
- For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef or pork, or a combination of the two
- 1 egg
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves (if they are available)
- 2 cups (packed) cooked, cooled rice --OR-- 3/4 cup (packed) fresh breadcrumbs, made with a soft, cakey bread such as Pepperidge Farm white sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, olive oil, bacon drippings or freshly rendered pork lard
- For the sauce:
- One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted, with juice
- 1 to 2 (or more, if I want the sauce really spicy) canned chipotles en adobo, stemmed and optionally seeded
- 1 tablespoon chipotle canning sauce
- 1 scant teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican OR 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1/3 cup water, beef broth, chicken broth, beer or wine
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the meat mixture and form the meatballs. Using your fingers or a spoon, thoroughly mix together the meat, egg, garlic, salt and mint. Spread the rice on a cutting board and chop through it several times to reduce the size of the grains (this is optional, but makes better meatballs, I think). Use a light touch: don’t compact the mixture too much. Form the mixture into 12 meatballs, rolling them gently between your palms without pressing too hard. (The mixture may seem a little wet at this point–that’s okay.)
Fry the meatballs. In a very large (12-inch) skillet (I like to work in heavy cast iron or nonstick), heat the oil (or bacon drippings or lard) over medium. When hot, lay in the meatballs in a single uncrowded layer. When they are brown on one side, turn them with tongs or a spatula, continuing until they're evenly and richly browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes.
Make the sauce. While the meatballs are browning, in a blender, combine the tomatoes, chipotles, oregano or parsley, and garlic cloves. Pulse until coarsely pureed. When the meatballs are ready, pour the sauce mixture evenly over the top. Make sure to coat the meatballs evenly and loosen any that may be sticking a little. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the meatballs cook for about 10 minutes more, until they're cooked through.
Serve. Transfer the meatballs to 4 warm dinner plates, leaving behind as much of the sauce as possible. Raise the temperature under the skillet to medium-high and stir in the water, stock or liquid of choice. Let the sauce simmer for a minute or two, then season with salt (usually about 1 teaspoon) and spoon over the meatballs. The albondigas are ready.
