Recipe: Chipotle Meatballs (Mexican) (food processor)

CHIPOTLE MEATBALLS

FOR THE MEATBALLS:
3 slices bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled, divided use
2 large eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs (3/4 cup if coarse-textured panko)
Salt
1 1/4 pounds ground pork
1/2 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped mint leaves (plus more for garnish)
FOR THE SAUCE:
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), drained of all but 1/4 cup juice
1 or 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, stemmed, seeded and sauce reserved
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
About 1 1/2 cups beef or chicken broth

TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine bacon and 1 garlic clove. Process until finely chopped. Add eggs, bread crumbs and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse several times to combine thoroughly, then add pork and mint. Pulse a few more times until well combined but not a paste. Remove meat from processor.

With wet hands, form meat into about 16 plum-size balls and space them out in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
While meatballs bake, combine tomatoes, 1/4 cup tomato juice, chipotles, 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce, oregano, remaining garlic cloves (cut in half) and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Process to a smooth puree.

When meatballs are ready, spoon off rendered fat from baking dish, then pour tomato mixture on top, covering meatballs evenly.

Bake until sauce has thickened somewhat, 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat broth in a small saucepan.

TO SERVE:
Divide meatballs among four dinner plates, leaving sauce behind.

Stir enough broth into sauce to give it a spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt, if necessary. Spoon sauce over meatballs, decorate with extra mint leaves, if you wish, and serve.

Servings: 4
Adapted from source: Mexican Everyday: Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series Mexico One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless and Deann Groen Bayless