Categories: Mexican

Ingredients

• 2 heads garlic
• 3 plum tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 2 small poblano chile peppers
• 2 tbsp chopped canned chipotles in adobo sauce
• 2 tbsp lard or shortening
• 2 cups beef or chicken stock
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tsp adobo seasoning
• Black pepper
• 1 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp chipotle puree (pureed chipotles in adobo sauce)
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 4 cups panko, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup masa harina (corn flour)
• 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 20 small flour tortillas
• Chipotle mayo, pickled onions (see recipe), crumbled queso fresco, and fresh cilantro, for topping

Directions

1. Make the sauce: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450. Cut off the top of each head of garlic, then wrap individually in foil. Toss the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss the onions, poblanos and the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil on another baking sheet. Roast the garlic, tomatoes, onions and poblanos, switching the pans halfway through, until the veggies have softened and are browned in spots, about 45 minutes.

2. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins. Remove the skin and seeds from the poblanos; set aside the poblanos and half each of the roasted garlic and onions for the albondigas. Puree the tomatoes, the remaining garlic and onions and the chopped chipotles in a blender, scraping down the sides as needed.

3. Reduce the oven temp to 400. Melt the lard in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the roasted vegetable puree and cook until reduced by about half, 8-10 minutes. Pour in the stock, reduce the heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened and smooth, about 10 minutes. Gradually stir in the butter until incorporated; add the adobo seasoning and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

4. While the sauce is simmering, make the albondigas: Pulse the carrot in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the reserved roasted poblanos, remaining roasted garlic and onions, chipotle puree, hot sauce, eggs, Cotija and cilantro and pulse until evenly and thoroughly mixed.

5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, carrot mixture, panko, masa harina, adobo seasoning, 2 tsp salt and black pepper. Mix well with your hands.

6. Form the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (about 40). Arrange on 2 baking sheets and bake until browned and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Toss into the sauce.

7. To assemble the tacos, heat up the tortillas on a griddle, then spread some chipotle mayo on each. Top with 2 or 3 meatballs and a little of the sauce. Garnish with the pickled onions, queso fresco and cilantro.

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