Chicote Meatball Stew

 
 This meatball Stew is our family’s favorite. My grandmother would use ½ lb. ground Lamb and ½ lb. ground beef and stuff the meatballs with hardboiled egg.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS for the Meat

1 lb.     Ground meat

1 cup   Cooked seasoned Rice

1tsp      Chicken Bouillon powder

½ tbsp  Garlic powder

1 tsp     Onion powder

¼ tsp    Cumin powder

¼ cup   Chicote Smoked Chilies brine

1          Hardboiled egg cut in quarters

Salt & Black pepper to taste

Mix all the above ingredients and make the meatballs, at the center of the meatball add a quarter piece of hardboiled egg. Roll the meatball until its smooth and you can’t see the hardboiled egg. If the hardboiled egg in not centered inside the meat, the meatball will open in half.

This recipe makes 8 meatballs.

INGREDIENTS for the Tomato Sauce

1 can    Diced Tomatoes 14.5oz

1 cup   Water

1 tbsp   Chicken Bouillon powder

1 tbsp   Cumin powder

¼ ea.    Medium size fresh Onion

3 ea.     Large Garlic cloves

4 ea.     Large Mint leaves plus one sprig of Mint

2 tbsp   Greek olive oil

Add all the above ingredients, except the Mint sprig, and blend until smooth.

In a 3 qtr pot add 2 tbsp of Olive Oil; warm the oil so when you add the tomato sauce the oil sizzles

When the tomato sauce starts to simmer add the meatballs and the sprig of Mint. After you added the meatballs and the tomato sauce starts to simmer, again, cover the pot, lower the heat and cook for 25 minutes. Serve the meatballs with the tomato sauce and top the meatballs with a dollop of Greek yogurt.