Let's Make Chipotle Meatballs

There's a reason I'm going back to this very traditional preparation (the versions in Mexican Everyday and Authentic Mexican have been very popular among my readers). Including it in the small group of go-to, committed-to-memory recipes enables me to explain the big-picture basics that led me to the exact proportions I use to make great meatballs when I walk into the kitchen. Plus, knowing these basics allows me to vary the outcome based on who I'm cooking for, what I have on hand or what I've found at the farmers' market or grocery. A basic meatball is typically a combination of ground meat, something to soften the meat's tendency toward firmness and something else to keep it from falling apart. In Mexico, the meat is typically ground pork, beef or a combination of the two, though I have made this recipe very successfully with ground lamb, turkey and chicken thigh. The typical softener in Mexico is cooked rice (fresh breadcrumbs work well, too), and an egg helps hold it together. Besides salt, the typical seasoning for the meat in Mexico is chopped fresh mint (other herbs, such as oregano or parsley, are good alternatives); like many Mexican cooks, I like to add garlic, too. Another great addition is chopped fresh bacon.