Mexican Meatballs With Red Chile Tomato Sauce And Queso Fresco Recipes

GRILLED PORTOBELLO AND RAJAS SALSA TACO WITH QUESO FRESCO

Steps:

• Heat a grill to medium high.
• For the Bobby's rub for beef and pork: Combine the ancho chile, coriander, mustard, paprika, black pepper, salt, chile de arbol, cumin and oregano in a bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons for the mushrooms. (Store the remaining spice rub, tightly covered, in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.)
• For the portobello mushrooms and rajas: Brush the mushrooms generously with canola oil and season the gill sides with the reserved 2 tablespoons spice rub. Brush the Anaheim chile and bell peppers with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the mushrooms spice-side down on the grill. Put the peppers on the grill and cover the grill. Grill the mushrooms, turning once, until a knife inserted in the thickest part meets no resistance, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Grill the Anaheim chile and bell peppers, turning, until charred on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes (the Anaheim will take a few minutes less than the bell peppers). Transfer the peppers and chile to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes.
• For the tortillas and toppings: While the peppers rest, warm the tortillas on the grill a few seconds on each side; keep warm.
• Remove the skins and seeds from the bell peppers and chile. Thinly slice the peppers, chile and mushrooms and combine in a bowl. Add the cilantro, olive oil, scallions, Fresno chiles, lime juice and salt and pepper.
• Fill the tortillas with the vegetable mixture and top with queso fresco and a squeeze of lime.

CORN FRITTERS WITH HERB SALSA AND FRESH CHEESE: AREPITAS WITH CHIMICHURRI AND QUESO FRESCO

Steps:

• Make the chimichurri: In a food processor, pulse the onion until finely chopped but not pureed. Transfer the onion to a bowl. Add the olive oil, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, oregano leaves, garlic, and jalapeno and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the herb mixture to the bowl with the onion and stir to combine. Season the chimichurri with salt and pepper.
• Make the arepitas: In a large bowl, whisk together the harina pan, Parmesan, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the water, milk, and 3 tablespoons oil. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Using your hand, knead the mixture until a firm but malleable dough is formed. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the oil for frying into a large pot to a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 365 degrees F.
• Form the dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch round balls. Using the palms of your hands, form the dough balls into rounded "UFO" shapes.
• Working in batches, add the dough balls to the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until puffed and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the arepitas to paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
• Serve the arepas in a bowl with the chimichurri and queso fresco in separate bowls on the side.

SHREDDED CHICKEN AND TOMATILLO TACOS WITH QUESO FRESCO

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium. Add the blackened tomatillos and serrano to a small saute pan and briefly saute in a little olive oil on the grates of the grill.
• Place the tomatillos, serrano, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Place the tomatillo mixture in a large saute pan and place on the grates of the grill. Bring the mixture to a simmer, add the chicken, and heat through.
• Place the tortillas on the grill, and grill for 20 seconds on each side. Spoon the chicken mixture into the tortillas and top with a few tablespoons of queso fresco. Fold the tortillas in half serve immediately.

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add pureed tomatoes with their juices, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup water, bay leaf, parsley, Cubano pepper, and bring to a boil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Add Meatballs and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and Meatballs are tender. Remove the bay leaf.
• Add enough sauce to the drained pasta (that has been returned to the pot) to coat and continue cooking briefly, just until pasta is well combined with sauce. Serve pasta with Meatballs on top and garnished with fresh basil.
• Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, except olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Heat the oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry meatballs, in batches as needed, until golden brown, but not cooked through completely. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain well in a colander, return to pot, and toss with sauce. Serve with meatballs and Parmesan on top.

GRILLED CHICKEN TOSTADAS AL CARBON WITH GRILLED TOMATILLOS AND QUESO FRESCO

Steps:

• Combine the lime juice, garlic and chipotle chile in a medium nonreactive bowl; season with salt. Add the chicken, toss well to coat, and refrigerate 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade; thread onto 4 (12-inch) skewers lightly misted with cooking spray.
• Preheat the grill to medium. Mist the tortillas with cooking spray. Add the tortillas to the grill; cook, turning once, until lightly toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes per tortilla.
• Meanwhile, add the chicken and the whole tomatillos to the grill; cook, turning often, until tomatillos are charred and chicken is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the skewers from the chicken.
• Coarsely chop the tomatillos and toss with oil and salt to taste. Place toasted tortillas on plates; generously top with romaine, tomatillos, chicken, and queso fresco. Serve with onion, cilantro sprigs, and a lime wedge if desired.

OLD-FASHIONED MEATBALLS IN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove ground round and sausage from refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking, if possible. Place bread crumbs in large bowl and stir in 1/3 cup water. When absorbed, blend together with eggs, garlic, 1/4 cup grated Romano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Add meats to bread crumb mixture and combine well with fork. Form into 12 even balls. Lay in 1 layer in 8 x 14-inch baking dish so each is separated by about 1 inch.
• Stir 1/4 cup water into crushed tomatoes and season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Pour tomatoes over and around meatballs. Sprinkle tops with remaining 1 1/3 tablespoons grated Romano. Bake in center of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, about 18 minutes. Serve hot.

MEXICAN MEATBALLS IN CHIPOTLE CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• For the meatballs, combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl, mix with hands. Refrigerate and cover for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile for the sauce, if using fresh tomatoes, place on a cooking sheet and broil, turning once or twice until the skins bister and blacken, about 10 minutes. Peel the skin off tomatoes and place the peeled (or canned tomatoes) in to a blender or food processor.
• Put the garlic and onion into a hot, dry skillet and cook, turning occasionally, over medium heat, until the garlic is lightly browned and the onion is lightly scorched,.
• Add to the blender along with 1/2 cup broth, chipotles to taste (start with 1), cinnamon, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, Taste, and add more chipotles if desired.
• Heat oil in a large , heavy and deep skillet over medium heat until quite hot but not smoking. Add the tomato mixture and "fry" until it thikckens (it will splatter), about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the remaning 2 cups broth and heat to a boil. Stir in mint. Taste again, adjust salt and pepper, and add some adobo from the canned chilies if not spicy enough.
• Shape the meat mixture into meatballs (about 1 inch diameter), the mixture should make 60 meatballs. Add the meatballs to the sauce, Shake the pan once or twice in the first 5 minutes of cooking to prevent sticking. Simmer slowly until the meatballs are done, about 30 minutes.

MEXICAN TACO MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine ground beef, 1/2 of the taco seasoning package, 1/2 cup salsa, bread crumbs, cheese, egg and salt/pepper to taste.
• Shape mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and brown in large skillet in the peanut oil.
• Drain meatballs on paper towels.
• In a 2 quart sauce pan, add the tomato sauce, remaining salsa, taco seasoning and meatballs.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.

MEXICAN-STYLE SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a sheet of aluminum foil onto a baking sheet, and lightly grease with cooking spray.
• Place the ground turkey into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the Mexican chili powder, guajillo chile powder, salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Add the egg, olive oil, chopped onion, jalapeno pepper, and Anaheim pepper. Mix well with your hands until evenly blended, then sprinkle with the tostada crumbs and bread crumbs. Mix again until the bread crumbs are incorporated. Form the meatball mixture into 1-inch balls and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs have lightly browned and are no longer pink in the center, about 40 minutes. Turn the meatballs over after 20 minutes to ensure even cooking.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the spaghetti and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
• After you have flipped the meatballs, stir together the diced tomatoes, diced onion, chipotle chile, spaghetti sauce, and taco seasoning in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the onion is tender.
• Once the meatballs are ready, stir them into the sauce, and cook 5 minutes longer. Spoon the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti to serve.

CHILI MEATBALLS IN BLACK BEAN AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the ancho chiles and boiling water in a bowl and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Drain and roughly chop the chiles, reserving the liquid. Set aside.
• Place the breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the milk is absorbed. Add the beef, egg, garlic, cilantro, coriander seeds, salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Using wet hands, roll tablespoon-portions of the mixture into balls.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, shallow, heavy-based ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Cook the meatballs in batches, turning frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until browned. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, onion and extra garlic to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until lightly golden. Add the tomato paste, sugar and vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef stock, tomatoes, beans, reserved chopped chile, reserved soaking liquid, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, return the meatballs to the pan and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and the meatballs are cooked through.
• Place the chorizo in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Heat the remaining oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve the meatballs with steamed rice and top with the crispy chorizo and sour cream.