Albondigas en Chipotle (Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce)

Adjust 1 oven rack to lower-middle position and second rack 4- inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place onion on prepared sheet and broil until top is well charred, 6 to 12 minutes. Flip onion, add garlic cloves to baking sheet, and broil until top of garlic is well charred, 1 to 4 minutes. Flip garlic and continue to broil until garlic is well charred on second side, 1 to 4 minutes longer. Remove baking sheet from oven and cool slightly. Turn off broiler and heat oven to 350 degrees. When onion and garlic are cool enough to handle, transfer onion to blender. Remove and discard skin from garlic and add to blender.

Bring 4 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice and 1  teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer, rinse with cold water, and drain again; set aside.

Combine oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, and ¼ teaspoon cumin in bowl and microwave until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool slightly. Transfer oil mixture to blender along with tomatoes, broth, vinegar, chipotle, and ¼ teaspoon salt and puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. Reserve 1 cup sauce. Transfer remaining sauce to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and add bay leaf.

Whisk milk and eggs together in large bowl. Add bread and mash with fork to create smooth paste. Add ground pork, ground beef, par cooked rice, 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.

Using your moistened hands, form rounded ¼ cup (or #16 portion scoop) portion into round meatball and transfer baking dish with sauce; repeat with remaining meat mixture to form 15 meatballs. Pour reserved 1 cup sauce over meatballs, cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until meatballs in center of baking dish register 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes.

Remove dish from oven and let meatballs rest in sauce, covered, for 15  minutes. Transfer meatballs to serving platter. Discard bay leaf and season with sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over meatballs, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.