Albondigas

Mexican meatball soup

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

PREPARING THE ALBONDIGAS If you're using shrimp, chop it fine-but not to a paste-in a food processor or by hand. Soak the bread in the milk until soft and then squeeze out the excess milk and discard. Work the shrimp or pork, the soaked bread, and the rest of the meatball ingredients together with your hands.Don't work them any longer than necessary to combine them or you'll make the mixture heavy.Chill the mixture, covered, and roll it into 36 balls. PREPARING THE BROTH Chop the chilies fine. Heat the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes until the onion turns translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the chilies, stir for a minute or two to get them to release their flavor (stand back or the fumes can knock you over), and add the tomatoes and broth. Simmer gently until the tomatoes are mushy and falling apart, about 20 minutes. Work the soup through a food mill or use a ladle to push it through a strainer. Season to taste with salt. FINISHING THE SOUP Just before serving, bring about 3 quarts of water to a gentle simmer in a wide pot with a tablespoon of salt and add the albondigas. Poach the albondigas in the barely simmering salt water with the pot partially covered for about IO minutes. Bring the broth to the simmer. Ladle six albondigas into each of six heated bowls and ladle over the broth.