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Albóndigas
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 50g stale bread roll (about 1 day old)
- 125ml whole milk
- 4 whole allspice
- 2 garlic cloves
- 8 large mint leaves
- 1tbsp table salt
- 500g regular (not reduced-fat) minced beef
- 1 large egg, plus 2 hard-boiled eggs
For the sauce
- 750g ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
- 1/2 white onion, cut into chunks
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100g canned chipotle in adobo
- 1tbsp vegetable oil
- 250ml vegetable, beef or chicken stock
To serve
- cooked white rice, mixed with diced carrots and peas
- (optional) corn tortillas, warmed
Method
In a bowl, soak the bread in the milk until soft.
For the sauce, put the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chillies and salt, to taste, in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Put a large cast-iron pan on the hob, add the oil and set over a medium heat. Add the sauce and stock and bring to a simmer, then cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure the sauce does not get too dry – add water if needed.
While the sauce is simmering, make the meatballs. Put the allspice, garlic and mint in a pestle and mortar with the salt and pound to a paste.
Put the beef in a large bowl and add the spice paste and soaked bread, discarding the milk. Lightly beat the large raw egg in a cup and add this to the mixture. Mix all the ingredients with your hands until even.
Peel the boiled eggs and cut each one into eight cubes. Take a portion of the meatball mixture and make a small patty, then place a piece of egg in the middle and form a meatball about the size of a golf ball. You should have enough to make 12-16 – you may not use all the egg pieces. Add the meatballs to the simmering sauce, as you make them, then cook for about 30 minutes.
Serve the albóndigas with the rice and corn tortillas.