Poblano Albóndigas (Meatballs) in Ancho Chile Broth

To my foodie friends: Your kind words and congrats have cheered me considerably. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. What an amazing caring community we belong to! It never ceases to amaze me.

Bon Appetit really out did themselves with this wonderful soup recipe. I've always liked the idea of a soup with meatballs but somehow never got around to trying one but when I saw the flavor combination here I couldn't resist. If chiles are involved I get pretty darn excited. This soup is not spicy but you can easily turn up the heat with a little cayenne which, of course, I did. The only other addition I made was to sprinkle some ancho powder on the tortilla strips. Fantastic!

Recipe: Poblano Albóndigas (Meatballs) in Ancho Chile Broth 
6 first-course or 4 main-course servings

Recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine; January 2010

Ingredients

Meatballs

2 large fresh poblano chiles (9 to 10 ounces total)

1 pound ground beef (15% fat)

1/2 cup coarsely grated zucchini

1/4 cup finely grated onion

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 large egg, beaten to blend

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 small onion, coarsely grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons pure ancho chile powder or pasilla chile powder* (do not use blended chile powder)

9 cups low-salt beef broth

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

1 cup coarsely grated zucchini

1/4 cup long-grain white rice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice

Toppings

3 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil

4 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

Chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Meatballs

Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Char chiles over direct flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and steam 10 minutes. Stem, seed, and peel chiles, then chop finely (should yield about 3/4 cup).

Place chiles in large bowl. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet.

Soup

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion with any juices and garlic. Sauté until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add chile powder and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add broth and oregano; bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to very low, just below bare simmer, and cook 10 minutes.

Stir zucchini and rice into broth. Increase heat to medium and drop in meatballs, 1 at a time. Return soup to simmer. Cover and cook gently until meatballs and rice are cooked through, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to avoid boiling, about 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup cilantro and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season soup with salt and add more lime juice by teaspoonfuls, if desired.

Toppings

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Add half of tortilla strips. Cook until crisp, gently separating strips with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer strips to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips, adding more oil if needed.

Ladle soup and meatballs into bowls. Top with tortilla strips and cilantro. Enjoy!