Recipe - Chipotle Appetizer Meatballs

SAUCE
1 md Onion; chopped
4 Garlic cloves; chopped
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 cup Tomato sauce
2 cup Beef broth
One fourth cup Chipotles en adobo along
with the sauce; stems
removed

MEATBALLS
1 pound Ground beef
1 pound Ground pork
One half cup Finely chopped onion
One fourth cup Finely chopped fresh
cilantro
One half cup Bread crumbs
1 Egg; beaten
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

GARNISH
Chopped fresh cilantro

These spicy meatballs are a wonderful appetizer and, when served in a
chafing dish, will hold for a long time. Simple to prepare, they can be
made ahead of time and reheated before serving.

To make the sauce, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until they are
lightly browned. Add the tomato sauce, broth, and the chipotles in adobo
sauce. Heat the mixture to just under boiling and simmer for 20 minutes.
Place the sauce in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

To make the meatballs, combine the beef, pork, onion, cilantro, bread
crumbs, egg, and season with salt and pepper. Gently mix, then form into
small meatballs. Pour a couple of tablespoons of the oil in a heavy
saucepan and brown the meatballs. Remove and drain.

Return the sauce to the pan, add the meatballs and simmer for 15 to 20
minutes to finish cooking the meat.

To serve: place in a chafing dish, garnish with the cilantro and serve
accompanied with toothpicks.

Yield: 8 servings as an appetizer

Posted to CHILEHEADS DIGEST V4 #279 by supervisor@scudder.sbceo.k12.ca.us
(Senor Chile Monger) on Jan 22, 1998