Tender pork, beef meatballs at Comal
Food // Chef's secrets
Michael Bauer
July 20, 2012 Updated: July 21, 2012 9:33 a.m.
Beef & Pork Albondigas en Adodo from Matt Gandin of Comal.Craig Lee/Special to The Chronicle
In the last couple of years, it seems that just about every restaurant has put a version of meatballs on the menu. Next to hamburgers, meatballs has to be one of the most popular items served.
The thing about meatballs, however, is that they cross cultural boundaries. You'll find them in Europe, North America, South America, Scandinavia and Asia. I've rarely met one I didn't like, but very few that I absolutely loved. In fact, I'd been searching for several years to find a version that matches the recipe we ran for A16's meatballs (online go to: sfg.ly/NzG8f7).
Tender, full-flavored
I found them at Comal. The taste and texture are different from what you'll find at A16, but these are meatballs that are so tender and full flavored that I coveted the recipe. Fortunately, chef Matt Gandin accommodated me.
He sent a restaurant-size recipe, so Chronicle Food & Wine staffer Lynne Char Bennett and our testing crew had to tinker to get an appropriate quantity. Our version came out every bit as good as the original. Plus, our testing showed that the meatballs freeze well, so you can make extra.
The Comal meatballs are made with both pork and beef, and they're lightened with ricotta and pecorino. Instead of a tomato sauce, these are bathed in a smoky adobo sauce made with ancho chiles. A little of the sauce is also stirred into the meat mixture before it's formed into balls.
Plump quesadillas
The meatballs are one of my favorite items at Comal, which I reviewed last Sunday ( sfg.ly/NzHfLy). However, I could also go for the quesadillas, plump with shredded rabbit and pea shoots; the tacos filled with beef marinated in beer; the chile relleno fried in rice bran oil; or the whole spit-roasted chicken, rubbed with lemon, garlic and annatto seed and served with fire-roasted potatoes, green rice and black beans.
The restaurant ended up getting a deserved and rare three stars. These meatballs are definitely four stars.
Comal: 2020 Shattuck Ave. (near University Avenue), Berkeley; (510) 926-6300. comalberkeley.com. Dinner nightly.
The secrets
Meat mixture: Equal parts pork and beef give the meatballs a distinct flavor.
Cheese: Both ricotta and pecorino cheeses are incorporated into the meat mixture, adding flavor and lightening the texture.
Adobo sauce: Ancho chiles add a smoky quality and a bit of fire to the back of your throat.
Beef & Pork Albondigas in Adobo
Makes about 5 dozen (2-ounce) meatballs
Adapted from Comal chef Matt Gandin, who serves two of these meatballs as a starter. Though the adobo seems like it might be chile-hot, it isn't. The mild ancho chiles have more flavor than heat. The sauce and meatballs can be made ahead and frozen.
Ancho adobo
12 ounces dried ancho chiles
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 large pinches ground cloves
Albondigas
2 medium yellow onions, about 20 ounces, finely diced
-- Pinch salt + 2 tablespoons kosher salt, to taste
2 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80% lean
2 1/2 pounds ground pork
16 ounces ricotta, such as Bel Fiore
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, to taste
3/4 cup panko + more as needed
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated + more to garnish, Sini Fulvi brand preferred
2 tablespoons ancho adobo
To finish (see Note)
2 1/2 cups ancho adobo 5 cups chicken stock or broth
For the adobo: Remove the seeds and stems from the chiles, and toast on a dry griddle or sauté pan until fragrant, turning often so they don't burn. Transfer to a bowl and pour hot water over them. Keep them them submerged and let soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain off the water; remove and discard the paper-thin peels of the chiles.
Put the rehydrated chiles in a blender; add just enough fresh water to form a smooth puree, about 1/4- 1/2 cup. Add the remaining adobo ingredients, blend in; set aside. The mixture should be thick. You will have about 4 cups. This can be made ahead and frozen, ideally in 1-cup portions (in case you don't serve all the meatballs at once).
For the meatballs: Pour the olive oil into a heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Check every 5 minutes and give a stir to make sure the onions don't brown. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Add the ground meats, ricotta, eggs, oregano, panko, grated pecorino, 2 tablespoons salt and the 2 tablespoons ancho adobo to the onions. The mixture will be fairly wet and sticky. Gently combine by hand until just well mixed, being careful not to overwork the meat mixture. You want the meatballs should just hold their shape. Add more panko if the mixture is too wet, more egg if it's too dry.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment Use a 2 ounce scoop (4 tablespoons) to portion the meatballs. Roll them, wetting your hands and the scoop with cold water when necessary; place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Add a light coat of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
The meatballs can be prepared ahead to this step, cooled and frozen for a few months. Defrost before continuing with recipe.
To finish: Move the rack to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°. Place the meatballs in a roasting pan.
If making all the meatballs, combine the 2 1/2 cups ancho adobo and the chicken stock; bring to a simmer. If making fewer, see Note. Season with salt to taste, then pour the sauce over the meatballs. It should cover the meatballs at least halfway. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through; turn the meatballs over about halfway through.
Serve with a sprinkling of grated pecorino on top.
Note: You can finish about 2-dozen meatballs in a 9-x 13-inch pan with sauce made with 1 cup adobo + 2 cups stock.
Per meatball: 112 calories, 9 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (3 g saturated), 47 mg cholesterol, 271 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
Wine pairing: Try the 2010 Sorelle Winery Bellezza Fra Lodi Barbera (13.3% alcohol; $25), which takes on and nicely complements the boldly-flavored sauce.
Michael Bauer is The San Francisco Chronicle's restaurant critic. E-mail: mbauer@sfchronicle.com
Michael Bauer has been following the food and wine scene at the San Francisco Chronicle for more than 28 years. Before working at The Chronicle, he was a reporter and editor at the Kansas City Star and the Dallas Times Herald.