Mexican Meatball Soup

• 4 whole Tomatoes, Cooked
• 1/2 cups Long Grain Rice
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 cup Red Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Chopped
• 1 whole Chipotle Pepper (canned)
• 1 whole Egg, Beaten
• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 1 pound Ground Pork
• 1/2 teaspoons Cumin Powder
• 1/2 teaspoons Mexican Oregano
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Mint, Chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Plus More For Garnish
• 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 1/2 teaspoons Cracked Black Pepper
• 6 cups Beef Stock
• 2 whole Carrots, Peeled & Diced
• 1 cup Regular Cabbage, Chopped
• 1 whole Zucchini, Chopped
• 1 whole Avocado, Chopped

1. Begin by scoring the tops of each tomato, then add them to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove them from the heat.
2. In another pot, add the 1/2 cup of rice to 1 cup of boiling water (you can use the water from the tomatoes if you like), cover, and set aside for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drain, and place the rice into a large bowl.
3. Remove the tomatoes from the pot, and let cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the skins, and place into a blender or food processor. Set aside for a moment.
4. Next, heat a skillet on medium heat, add one tablespoon of the oil, then toss in the onion and garlic. Saute for about 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are nice and tender. Toss this mixture into the blender along with the chipotle pepper. Puree the mixture until everything is nice and smooth.
5. Get your Dutch oven or soup pot out, and bring it to a medium-low heat. During this time, add the beaten egg, ground meats, and the cumin, oregano, mint, cilantro, and salt and pepper into the large bowl of rice.
6. Mix everything really well. Yes, you are going to get a bit messy, but don't worry, it's all worth it! Make sure everything is incorporated. Wet your hands, and make them into meatballs, about the size of a golf ball.
7. Add the tomato mixture to the soup pot, then add in the beef stock. Toss in the carrots and cabbage. Bring to a boil.
8. Get a large skillet out and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the meatballs to the pan, realizing you will cook these in batches, and cook until you get a nice crust around the entire meatball. This will take several minutes per batch. Remove and place on a plate until you are ready to cook them with the soup.
9. Place the meatballs into the boiling stock, cover, and reduce heat to low, cooking for another 25 minutes.
10. When you are ready, ladle a bunch of the broth and a couple of meatballs into your soup bowl. Top with the chopped zucchini, fresh cilantro, and cut up avocado.
11. The texture and flavor of the meatballs were out of this world, and the broth, well, it was perfect. Subtle heat from the chipotle pepper, was quickly reduced by the creaminess of the avocado. If you are looking for a really comforting, and hearty soup, turn to this Mexican meatball soup, you will not be disappointed.

tomatoes, long grain rice, boiling water, canola oil, red onion, garlic, pepper, egg, ground beef, ground pork, cumin powder, oregano, fresh mint, fresh cilantro, salt, pepper, beef, carrots, regular cabbage, zucchini, avocado

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/soups/mexican-meatball-soup/ (may not work)