Sopa De Albondigas Y Macarrones Mexican Meatball Pasta Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, rice, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. Using your hands, gently mix until well combined. Pinch off 2-ounce portions and gently roll between your palms to form golf ball-size rounds, transferring rounds to a sheet pan. (You should have about 28 meatballs.)
• In large pot, combine the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and potato; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, oregano and cumin, and cook over medium, stirring frequently, until fragrant and tomato paste starts to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer over high.
• Once the stock begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully add the meatballs, one by one, distributing them evenly in the pot until they're all submerged. If necessary, reduce the heat to reach a low simmer (this will keep the meatballs tender), and cook until the meatballs and rice are cooked through, about 40 minutes. (Resist the urge to stir for the first 20 minutes, otherwise you risk breaking the meatballs apart before they've firmed up.) Skim any impurities from the surface as the soup simmers.
• Season to taste with salt. Divide the soup among bowls, about four or five meatballs per portion, and set out bowls of whatever garnishes you like.

Steps:

• Peel the onion and cut in half.Mince enough onion to make about two tablepoons-mince very finely and set aside.Chop about 1/4 of the onion(or 1/2 if using two small onions),set aside.Peel 2 cloves of the garlic and mince.
• Roast and grind the cumin seeds.
• Wash,dry,and chop the cilantro finely.
• Mix the meat,2 tablespoons minced onion,minced garlic, about 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin,about 2 teaspoons cilantro,the egg,and the cracker crumbs.Season generously with fresh black pepper,and if desired salt.Set aside.
• Make the tomato sauce:Heat a cast iron skillet or grill over medium heat until very hot.Add about 1/2 of the garlic cloves,unpeeled.Roast,turning occasionally,until they have black spots on each side.Remove from the pan.Add the unchopped onion,cut into very large chunks.Roast about 5 minutes ,without turning.After 5 minutes,turn to check.They should be blackened.Repeat for other side.You can place them in the pan at the same time you begin roasting the garlic if your pan is large enough.They should be done a few minutes after the garlic.It is not necessary for the onion to cook through,just to soften a bit and have black spots on the outside.Peel the garlic and place in a blender jar with the onion.
• Turn heat up to medium high.Place the whole tomatoes in the same pan and roast until blackened on one side,flip and roast on other side.Tomatoes should be quite soft and may have burst where they are blackenet.Place in the blender with the onion and garlic.Set aside to cool a few minutes.
• Peel the remaining raw garlic and add to the blender.Add cumin,salt,pepper, chile powder,and Mexican oregano to taste.Add about 1 cup water or broth and blend to a smooth puree.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium.When hot,add the dry pasta,lower heat to medium low,and cook,stirring often,until the pasta has begun to brown lightly .Add the reserved chopped onion and the carrots and the bay leaf and continue sauteeing,stirring,until the onion and carrots soften .
• Add half of the sauce and enough water or broth to cover the pasta by about 2 inches.Raise heat to bring to a boil.
• Let pasta simmer until it is al dente;the time will vary according to the size of your pasta-do not remove pasta from the pot.
• Form small meatballs and add to the pot of boiling soup.If you have room it is best to do this in one batch.I use about 1 tablespoon of the mixture to form each meatball.
• Add the remaining sauce and the cilantro.Cover the pot,and lower the heat slightly.Check after about 3 minutes,you may need to turn the meatballs so they cook evenly.
• Continue cooking until the meatballs are cooked through and have no pink in the middle.This may take about 7 minutes(again this depends on how large you made the meatballs).
• Serve hot with limes to squeeze into the broth.

Steps:

• In a dutch oven or other soup pot with tight-fitting lid, saute onion, garlic, celery (optional), and cumin seed in hot oil until onions begin to look clear.
• Add broth, tomatoes (with juice), water, tomatillos, and cilantro.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce to a simmer and add carrots and rice.
• Make meatballs: Begin by mixing breadcrumbs, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder.
• Knead in ground beef until thoroughly mixed.
• Add egg and knead in.
• (If needed, add additional breadcrumbs; texture at this point should be slightly firmer than ground beef with nothing added.) Form into small (about 1/2-inch) meatballs.
• Bring broth back to a boil.
• Add meatballs to hot broth.
• Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.