Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce

Cooking: Meatballs with Chipotle Sauce (Simply Mexican)

For Meatballs:
3/4 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. ground pork
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
about 1 cup flour1 Tbsp Olive oil

For Sauce:
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
1 onion, quartered
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, drained - (2 large tomatoes, cored and quartered)
2 canned chipotles
2 Tbls. adobo from canned chipotles
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chicken broth

Garnish:

Homemade Mexican Crema
Fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, combine meats, eggs, oregano, cumin, garlic, generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. Using your hands, mix ingredients. Form meatballs into 2″ rounds and set aside.

Heat about 2 Tbls. olive oil in a large saute pan. When oil is hot, add meatballs, but do not crowd the pan. Brown meatballs on two sides and cook in batches, placing them on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain. Add more oil if needed, to cook each batch.

When you are finished browning the meatballs, wipe the pan with a paper towel (do not clean). Heat pan again. Add about 1 Tbls. olive oil. Add onions. Let cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Combine tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, honey, and salt in a blender. Puree until smooth. Add to the onions and cook for about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste, add salt if needed. Add meatballs to the sauce, cover and cook for about 30 minutes on low heat. The meatballs can sit in the sauce until you are ready to eat. Garnish with chopped cilantro and cream. Serve with brown or white rice.