Albondigas, from Bruce Moffitt Recipes.com ALBONDIGAS Albondigas is an old favorite Mexican dish. It is done all over Mexico in many different styles. This recipe is of the style you would find in the northwestern parts of Mexico. It is really two dishes in one, since first you have the tongue, then you cook the albondigas in the stock from the tongue. Both are good. The Tongue for Albondigas Stock Take a beef tongue, trim it of bone pieces and fat. In a stock pot cover the tongue with cool water and bring slowly to a simmer. Skim off the scum as it forms. Then add: one onion, quartered 4 or 5 cloves garlic tsp whole black pepper 2 tsp whole cumin seed Tbl whole leaf oregano 2 or 3 whole cloves several small dry red chiles couple bay leaves Simmer the tongue slowly until quite tender. Remove tongue from the stock, cool a bit and peel. The tongue can now be served either hot or cold. A mustard sauce or fruit sauce goes well with tongue. Strain the stock. You should have a quart or two of stock. Now make the albondigas. 3/4 lb ground meat, traditionally ground pork, but all or part ground beef is also good. 3 or 4 eggs 3/4 cup corn masa 1/4 cup uncooked rice 1/2 medium onion, chopped 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced tsp whole cumin seed Tbl whole leaf oregano Tbl ground red chile Mix all of the above well and shape into balls two or three inches in diameter. Add to the slowly simmering stock along with: tsp whole leaf oregano 1/2 tsp whole cumin seed couple cloves of garlic several hot, dry little red chiles a bay leaf Simmer the albondigas slowly for about an hour. Serve the albondigas with the stock in a flat soup bowl. Serve with warm corn tortillas, a cold beer, a bottle of Mexican hot sauce and an accompanying plate with small piles of chopped onion, dry oregano, fresh cilantro, lime quarters and salt so that the diners may season the albondigas to their taste. Return to previous page