Spicy Viva México Meatballs
When I first saw this recipe from my beloved cookbook “The Meatball Shop cookbook,” it really caught my attention. So, this time, instead of taking the subway downtown to the LES, I decided get hands on! The results are a smoky and spicy meatballs, with a hint of Mexico in every bite! I really hope you prepare this at home! they are “de-li-chus”!!
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
- 1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup tequila
- juice from 1 lime
- 2 lb of ground pork
- 1.5 cups cooked white rice
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 3 soft corn tortillas, minced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (including stems)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 ground cumin
- 1 pinch of ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
- Combine the ancho chile, guajillo chile, tequila and lime juice in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Combine the chile mixture with the ground pork, rice, eggs, bread crumbs, tortillas, onions, cilantro, tomato paste, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, cumin and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until throughly incorporated.
- Roll the mixture into round meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches each) and pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.
- Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165ºF.
- Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
*Note: Recipe taken from “The Meatball Shop Cookbook”
