Albóndigas en Chipotle

Ingredients

• 800 g (1 3/4 lb)ground beef and pork — half and half
• 1/2 cupcooked white rice — for the meatballs
• 1egg
• 2 tbspchopped mint — the classic touch
• 6roma tomatoes — charred and blended
• 4chipotles in adobo — chopped
• 1/2white onion — chopped
• 3 clovesgarlic — minced
• 4 cupsbeef broth
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 3boiled eggs — quartered inside the meatballs, optional
• 1 tspfine salt
• 18corn tortillas — warmed on the comal

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 800 g (1 3/4 lb) ground beef and pork with 1/2 cup cooked white rice, 1 egg, 2 tbsp chopped mint, and 1 tsp fine salt. Use your hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly until everything is evenly distributed. Shape the mixture into meatballs about the size of a golf ball, ensuring they are compact and smooth to prevent them from falling apart during cooking.
2. Preheat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Place 6 roma tomatoes in the skillet and allow them to char, turning occasionally until the skins are blistered and blackened in spots. This should take about 10 minutes. Transfer the charred tomatoes to a blender along with 4 chipotles in adobo, 1/2 white onion (roughly chopped), and 3 cloves of garlic. Blend until smooth, creating a rich, aromatic sauce.
3. In a large pot, heat 3 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat. Pour the blended tomato-chipotle mixture into the pot, being careful of any splattering. Stir the sauce continuously as it cooks, allowing it to deepen in color and thicken slightly. This should take about 5 minutes, and you'll notice the oil starting to separate from the sauce.
4. Once the sauce is ready, carefully pour in 4 cups of beef broth. Stir well to combine, then increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Look for small bubbles breaking the surface, which indicates the broth is ready for the meatballs.
5. Gently lower the prepared meatballs into the simmering sauce one by one, ensuring they are submerged. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer; this gentle cooking will keep the meatballs tender and allow the rice inside to swell. Cook the meatballs until they are firm to the touch and cooked through, which should take about 25 minutes.
6. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Peel and halve the 3 boiled eggs, then gently nestle them into the sauce to warm through. Serve the albóndigas en chipotle in deep bowls, ensuring each serving has a generous amount of sauce and a piece of boiled egg. Accompany with warm corn tortillas, allowing everyone to scoop up the flavorful sauce and tender meatballs.