Spiced Meatballs in Chipotle Chile Sauce

Recipe from The Gourmet Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley

These meatballs are served in tomato-chipotle sauce, and are great served with rice. You can regulate the amount of heat in the sauce by the number of chiles you use.

Ingredients

Sauce:
* 1 teaspoon cumin seed
* 1 teaspoon coriander seed
* 3 cloves garlic
* Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh oregano
* Leaves from 1 sprig thyme
* 1 dried New Mexico or pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded
* 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 white onion, thinly sliced
* 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (or more, if you prefer hotter sauce)
* Salt
* 1 cup chicken stock or water

Meatballs:
* 8 peppercorns
* 4 allspice berries
* 1 teaspoon cumin seed
* 1 teaspoon coriander seed
* Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh oregano
* 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or pork
* 1 egg
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 8 soda crackers, crumbled
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Method

To prepare the sauce, combine the cumin, coriander, garlic, oregano leaves, and thyme leaves i a mortar or coffee grinder and grind to a coarse consistency.

Heat a dry large saute pan over high heat. Tear the dried chile into several large pieces and place in the pan. Toast for 3 minutes, or until puffed but not browned. Transfer to a bowl and add the tomatoes.

Heat the saute pain over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the spice mixture and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or food processor and add the chile mixture, chipotle chiles, and salt to taste. Puree until smooth, adding the stock as necessary to thin the sauce.

Pour the sauce into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low while you prepare the meatballs.

To prepare the meatballs, combine the peppercorns, allspice, cumin, coriander, and oregano in a mortar or coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.

Place the meat in a large bowl, add the egg, and mix well. Add the spice mixture, salt, onion, garlic, and crackers and mix well. Using your hands, form the meat into 2-inch balls.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, for 6 to 8 minutes, until browned on the outside but still rare on the inside.

Add the meatballs to the sauce in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 8 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through. At 2 to 3 hours, the meatballs will still hold their shape. At 6 to 8 hours, the meatballs will have fallen apart into the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.