WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Albondigas en chipotle is a classic Mexican dish that features a smoky, spicy, chipotle chile–infused tomato sauce and tender meatballs. Usually the meatballs also contain rice. Our goal was to create a recipe with big flavors and perfectly cooked rice and meatballs. We borrowed a method from our recipe for Meatball Soup with Rice and Cilantro and parcooked the rice to ensure that it became fully tender by the time the meatballs finished cooking. Next, we focused on the flavor and texture of the meatballs. Instead of utilizing a laundry list of ingredients to flavor our meatballs, we looked to a commonly used Mexican ingredient with plenty of its own seasoning: Mexican chorizo. By substituting chorizo for a portion of the ground beef, we were able to quickly infuse our meatballs with spicy, rich flavor. A panade, a mixture of milk and bread, kept the meatballs tender. To develop a rich sauce, we used canned fire-roasted tomatoes, which echoed the deep smoky flavors of the chipotle chile. The addition of red wine vinegar and brown sugar helped to balance the sauce with tart and sweet notes. Canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce was easy to use and provided heat, smokiness, and a bit of acidity. Covering the meatballs during baking ensured that they stayed moist in the oven.

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup long-grain white rice
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup whole milk
• 12 ounces Mexican-style chorizo sausage, casings removed
• 12 ounces 90 percent lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring 4 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer, rinse with cold water, and drain again; set aside.
3. Heat oil in now-empty saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic, oregano, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Stir in tomatoes, broth, vinegar, chipotle, sugar, and bay leaf and bring to simmer; transfer sauce to 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
6. Mash bread and milk to paste with fork in large bowl.
7. Add chorizo, ground beef, parcooked rice, 1 teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
8. Pinch off and roll mixture into 16 meatballs (¼ cup each) and nestle into sauce.
9. Spoon some sauce over meatballs, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake until meatballs are cooked through, about 1 hour.
10. Remove dish from oven and let meatballs rest in sauce, covered, for 15 minutes.
11. Transfer meatballs to serving platter. Discard bay leaf, skim any fat off surface of sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
12. Pour sauce over meatballs, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.