Laura Rankin
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 3 quarts of chicken stock or beef stock OR water OR a mixture of both (we usually use half stock half water as the meatballs will create their own stock)*
- ½ cup of tomato sauce
- ½ lb of string beans, strings and ends removed, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced or zucchini, corn, peas ( I omitted these, and used chopped greens instead)
- ⅓ cup of raw white rice
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey or substitute
- ¼ cup of chopped fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup of chopped parsley
- 1 raw egg
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- A dash of cayenne (optional)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
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Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed pot (5 quart) over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add broth mixture and tomato sauce. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add carrots and string beans.
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Prepare the meatballs. Mix rice into meat, adding mint leaves and parsley, salt and pepper. Mix in raw egg. Form mixture into 1 inch meatballs (or scoop teaspoonsful directly into simmering stock).
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Add the meatballs to the simmering soup, one at a time. Cover and let simmer for ½ hour. Add the peas towards the end of the ½ hour. Add a few pinches of oregano and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a dash of cayenne, to taste.
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Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.