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Lynn's Tex Mex Meatballs

Meatballs
6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
6 sprigs fresh marjoram, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf, preferably Mexican
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
8 peppercorns, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 garlic cloves
1 slice stale bread
12 ounces ground beef
12 ounces ground pork, with some fat
1/3 cup long grain rice, partially cooked (See Note)
1 large egg, hard-cooked and finely chopped 

Sauce
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes
6 chipotle chiles, dried (not canned)
2 tablespoons pork lard or vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
About 2 1/2 cups beef broth or water 

Preheat the broiler. Meanwhile, make the Meatballs: put thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, cumin, peppercorns, salt, milk , raw egg and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour mixture in a bowl and soak the bread in it until mushy, then add the ground meats, rice and hard-cooked egg, work well with your hands. Form into 24 meatballs, each about 11/4 inches in diameter; set aside. 

To make the Sauce, first place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and broil about 3 inches from the heat, turning once, until charred and slightly mushy. 

Heat a griddle or comal (a Mexican griddle), or a nonstick skillet and add the chiles. Cook, turning occasionally, until they become soft and flexible. Slit chiles open. 

Heat lard or oil in a heavy pan, and fry the chiles, flattening them with a spatula, until very dark brown, almost black. Remove from the pan, leaving the fat. Place chiles and broiled tomatoes (skin on) in a blender and blend until smooth. 

In same skillet, fry the onion gently, without browning, until soft. Crush the garlic, cumin and salt together in a mortar (or spice grinder). Add two tablespoons water - to clean the mixture out - and pour the mixture into the pan with the onion. Fry, stirring and scraping, over high heat until almost dry, then add the blended tomato mixture and dry over medium-high to high heat, stirring and scraping the bottom constantly, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. 

Add the broth and meatballs - the sauce should just cover them - cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook gently, turning meatballs occasionally, until they are cooked through and spongy, 30 to 45 minutes. 

Makes 6 servings. 

NOTE: To partially cook rice, follow package directions, but cut the cooking time in half, turning off the heat after about 10 minutes instead of 20.
 

Men are more apt to be mistaken in their generalizations than in their particular observations.

- Niccolo Machiavelli