To all of my favorite Mexicans reading this… this is not your traditional albóndigas. I know, I know.
Don't want to hear me ramble on and on... get just the recipe here!
This version isn’t exactly classic… but I feel albóndigas is like chili — everyone has their own interpretation. Here’s mine.
Recipe Supplies:
• Ground Beef (1 lbs)
• Ground Pork (1 lbs)
• Egg (1)
• Panko (1/2 cup or so)
• Beef Broth (1 carton)
• Heavy Cream (small container)
• Mint (15 leaves or so)
• Shallot (1)
• Shitake Mushrooms (2 handfuls sliced with no stems)
• Corn on the Cobb (3)
• Tomatos (4)
• Yellow Onion (1. 3/4 in sauce and 1/4 chopped and sauteed)
• Cilantro (1 bushel chopped)
• Jalapeno (2)
• Tomatillo (2)
• Garlic Cloves (10)
• Green Onion (1 bushel)
• Avocado (1 sliced)
• Lime (2)
• Black Beans (1 can)
• Kerry Gold Butter (2 tbsp)
• EVOO
• Parmigiano
• Onion Powder (to taste)
• Garlic Powder (to taste)
• Cummin (to taste)
• Thyme (to taste)
• Cayenne (to taste)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Fresh Tortillas (if you want them on the side)
Instructions:
Start with the Sauce:
Put the tomatoes (cut into quarters), onion (cut into quarters), garlic cloves, jalapeños, and tomatillos into a large cast-iron pan and broil in the oven for 10–15 minutes. You want to soften the veggies and get a good char on them. Rotate a few times.
Remove the cooked veggies and blend them all together — be careful not to burn yourself. Return the blended mix to your pan and continue to cook on low. Once the heat of the pan has come down, add some cream to your sauce and mix. Then season your sauce to taste with: salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, thyme, and cumin.
While the sauce is on low, you can make your meatballs. Just remember to stir the sauce occasionally.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while you make your meatballs.
Mince your scallion and mint. Mix them with the ground beef and pork, egg, panko, and season generously with salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, and cumin. Form all the meatballs in your hands — make sure they’re pretty consistent in size. You should end up with about 14-ish. Put them on a cookie sheet lined with foil and cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside when done. They won’t be fully cooked, but that’s okay — they’re going to cook more later in the soup.
Now we combine everything to make the soup.
Use a Dutch oven and sauté your mushrooms and onions in EVOO and some butter. It should take about 5–10 minutes for the veggies to soften.
Once they’re done, add in your tomato sauce, the meatballs, and some beef broth (use your judgment on how thick you want your soup). Stir together and put the lid on. Let the soup simmer on low for a while to cook down. I used this time to take a shower… and I am not the fastest shower taker, so let’s say 20 minutes or so.
Once it has cooked down for a bit, add the black beans and cut the corn kernels off the cob into the soup. Add some cream (a decent amount — maybe 1/2 cup or so) and mix everything together. Give it a few minutes, then add the cilantro. Also grate some Parmigiano cheese to add — not a ton, just a little to thicken it up.
Now it’s time to start tasting the soup so you can season it.
Season to taste with the usual suspects: salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, and cayenne (depending on how much of a kick you want). Once you get it where you like it, leave it on low and let all the flavors blend together for another 15–20 minutes.
Serve with freshly squeezed lime and avocado slices! Oh… and more cilantro if you have any left. Fresh tortillas are also a nice addition.