The secret ingredient in these apps is a link of fresh chorizo-the spicy Mexican pork sausage (not to be confused with the cured Spanish kind). It does double duty here, adding a zesty taco kick and keeping the meatballs extra moist.
ingredients
directions
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Mix together the ground beef, chorizo, egg, cornmeal, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, granulated onion, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper with your hands in a large bowl. Scoop the mixture into tablespoon-sized portions. For each, press 1 cube of cheese into the center, press the meat around it to seal, and roll into a smooth ball.
Put the chips in a plastic bag, seal and crush with a rolling pin. Drop 3 or 4 meatballs at a time into the bag, and roll them around to lightly coat with the crushed chips. Arrange the coated meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until the outsides are browned and the cheese is melted inside, 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve the meatballs on a platter over a bed of shredded lettuce with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream on the side.