Mexican Mole Meatballs (Albondigas with Ancho Mole)

  

Prep time: About 1 hour
Cooking time: About 1 1/2 hour

Makes: 6 - 8 total servings (about 18 - 20 meatballs)
I prepared 2 servings and froze the rest.

    

Ingredients for Mole

    

Ingredients for Meatballs

  • 1 T.       olive oil
  • 8 oz.     finely chopped yellow onion (1 medium onion)
  • 1 t.       minced garlic (1 clove)
  • 1 lb.     ground beef (85% lean)
  • 1 lb.     ground pork
  • 5 oz.     ricotta cheese
  • 2           large eggs
  • 1 T.        dried Mexican oregano
  • 1/4 cup   bread crumbs
  • 4 T.         grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
  • 1 T.         mole
    •     

    Directions for Mole -

    1. Pull stems off dried chilies, open and remove all seeds. Discard seeds.
    2. Toast chiles on dry skillet until fragrant. Turn often so they don't burn. (About 10 minutes.)
    3. Submerge chiles 30 minutes in hot water to rehydrate. Drain water.
    4. Slowly add chiles to food blender with 1/2 cup water to make puree.
    5. Add other mole ingredients. Blend and set aside. Makes about 2 cups of what looks like brown ketchup.
    6. Separate mole into 4 portions. Save 1 and put remaining 3 in ziplok bags and freeze.
        

    Directions for Meatballs -

    1. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in skillet. Add onion and garlic. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
    2. Stir every 5 minutes to avoid browning. Set aside to cool.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, add onions, meat, eggs, and other meatball ingredients.
    4. Mix with your hands until the mixture holds together.
    5. Measure out 2-oz portions and roll into balls. I made 19 balls.
    6. From this point on, I completed enough meatballs for only 2 servings.
    7. I cooked 5 meatballs and saved the rest in 3 freezer bags (4 - 5 in each) and froze for future dinners.
    8. Heat 1 t. olive oil in heavy skillet and brown 5 meatballs for 5 minutes, turning gently to not break them.
    9. In a small pan, heat 1/2 cup mole with 1 cup chicken broth.
    10. Place meatballs in small baking dish and pour heated mole over them.
    11. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes in 400 deg. F oven.
    12. Turn meatballs and bake 15 more minutes or until centers are no longer pink.
    13. Serve meatballs with rice, pouring mole over both.

    Based on a recipe from the San Francisco Chronicle, 7/22/12, which was based on a recipe from the Comal restaurant in Berkeley, CA

     

    Up a Level
    Return to Home Page