PAT'S ALBONDIGAS

Albondigas is a meat ball soup popular in the Southwest, and is served in many Mexican restaurants. This recipe is based on recipes from several cookbooks, including historical recipes, adjusted to our taste and with the addition of prickly pear pads based on memories of soup eaten in a Nogales, Sonora, Mexico restaurant many years ago.

The prickly pear cactus pads are a good vegetable which some research shows can be useful in helping diabetics regulate blood sugar levels. It takes special skills to pick young pads and skin them to get rid of the thorns, so we buy them canned. They are called "nopales" and can be found in many grocery stores in the Southwest and probably specialty stores elsewhere. They add a flavor to the Albondigas that we find very pleasing. Their deep green color enhances the orange carrot slices which are an optional vegetable in this version of the soup.

You can substitute French style green beans if you can't find nopales. Some restaurants use carrots and potatoes; some use squash, some use rice. Try some experiments to find what you like best, or use what is in season.

Pat makes a large batch of meatballs and freezes them, so the Albondigas can be made fairly quickly when desired. Thaw the meatballs just enough to separate them and drop them in the boiling broth while still frozen. It takes just a little longer to cook, depending on the size of the meatballs.

Meatballs

1/2 lb Lean pork sausage
1 lb Lean ground beef
3/4 cup Cornmeal
1 ea Egg
1 tsp Ground cumin (or more to taste)
1 tsp Cilantro fresh chopped leaves*
1 tsp Peppermint, fresh chopped leaves*
1/2 tsp Marjoram, fresh chopped leaves*


*These amounts are approximate. The recipe which used these herbs called for numbers of leaves or stalks, but the fresh herbs come in all sizes of leaves and stalks. Adjust to taste.

Mix all ingredients together and form into small balls about the size of walnuts. These can be made ahead and frozen in layers separated by waxed paper.

Stock

2 Tbsp Canola oil
1 ea Onion
2 ea Cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 cups Tomatoes, chopped -- Note (1)
1 can Beef stock, 28 oz can
Water to make 3-1/2 quarts liquid

Note (1) (fresh plum tomatoes are best, or use one 15 oz can drained and chopped in a pinch; don't put the drained juice in the stock as it changes the flavor and texture)

Saute onion and garlic in canola oil. Add fresh tomatoes and cook for a minute or two. Add the beef stock and water and bring to a boil.

Ingredients for final assembly

Meatballs; figure about three for each bowl of soup.
Stock as listed above
1 can Diced green chilis, 15 ounce size
1 cup Canned nopales (prickly pear cactus) strips; if pickled rinse and drain
1 cup Sliced fresh carrots (optional)

Heat the stock to boiling. Drop in meatballs and cook about 20 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer about five minutes longer.

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