Albondigas Soup

Albondigas Soup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups beef stock
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 canned chipotle chile plus 1 to 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
2 carrots, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated zucchini
1/4 cup uncooked rice

Albondigas:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 pound bulk chorizo or ground pork
1/4 cup grated zucchini
1 egg
1 garlic clove, minced
1 stale small corn tortilla, minced or processed to crumbs
in a food processor
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Water
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large, heavy saucepan or stockpot, warm the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic with the oregano and cumin until the onion is softened. Pour in the stock and add the tomatoes, chipotle, car-rots, and salt. (The zucchini and rice will be added later.) Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for 20 minutes while you form the alb6ndigas.
In a bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and mix well. Form into small balls, about 3/4 inch in diameter. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil enough water to cover the meatballs and add them. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes to eliminate some of the grease. Drain the albondigas, discarding the cooking water. Add the albondigas, along with the reserved zucchini and rice, to the soup. Continue simmering for 30 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with generous sprinklings of cilantro before serving.