Italian Wedding Soup

 Clearly I am in a soup mood. Made this yesterday after inspiration from my parent's neighbor that dropped off some while I was staying there after all the surgeries. I need to learn to make the meatballs smaller but this was a good first try. 

Meatballs

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb Italian sausage

1 egg, whisked

Handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper

Olive Oil

Soup

Olive oil

1/2 small onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

10 cups chicken stock

Fresh spinach

1 cup orzo or acini de pepe pasta

Salt and Pepper

1. Add all meatball ingredients, except oil, to a bowl and mix with your hands. Scoop into small balls. Add oil to Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear for roughly 5 minutes rotating every 1-2 minutes. Remove and let drain on a paper towel. 

2. Add olive oil into drippings from meatballs. Stir in the diced carrots, onion and celery. Saute for 5-6 minutes and add garlic. Continue cooking for a minute.

3. Pour in broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure no bits or pieces are left on the bottom. Bring broth to a boil. Add pasta, salt and pepper and meatballs. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 7-9 minutes or according to pasta instructions.

4. Drop in spinach and allow to wilt.

5. Serve with shaved parmesan.

Vietnamese Meatballs with Chili Sauce

These are some serious flavor bombs!

Meatballs

2 eggs

3 T fish sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T finely grated ginger

1/4 t crushed red peppers

3 scallions, finely chopped plus more for serving

2 t lime zest from 2 limes

3 T chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

3 T chopped fresh mint, plus more for serving

3/4 lb ground beef

3/4 lb ground pork

1 cup panko

1/2 cup chopped peanuts, for serving

Sauce

2 T Asian chili sauce, such as Sambal Oelek

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 T fish sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Combine eggs through mint in a large bowl. Add beef, pork and pinko.  Using hands, mix until evenly combined. Roll mixture into golf ball sized balls and arrange on baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes flipping once half way through the cooking time. 

3. Make the sauce by whisking the ingredients together in a medium ball.

4. Serve the balls drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with scallions, cilantro, mint and peanuts. 

Swedish Meatballs

Kenny wanted Swedish meatballs, which I have never had before so wasn’t sure how they were supposed to taste.  Found this one on Pinterest and it seems like it was a hit!https://cafedelites.com/swedish-meatballs-recipe/

Meatballs:

1/3 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup milk
2 T heavy cream
1 egg
1 garlic clove, grated
Salt and pepper
1/4 t allspice
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 T chopped Italian parsley
1 T butter
2 t olive oil

Gravy sauce:

1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups beef broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 t soy sauce
1 t Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

1. Mix panko crumbs, milk, 2 T cream, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, and allspice. Once milk has absorbed some, add onion, meat and parsley. Mix well with hands to combine.

2. Roll meat into 20-30 balls.

3. Heat 1 T butter and 2 t oil in a large pan on medium high heat. Fry balls in batches making sure not to over crowd pan. Transfer to another dish to keep warm.

4. In same pan, add 1/3 cup butter to the juices in pan to melt. Whisk in the flour to make a medium brown roux. Pour the beef stock, cream, soy sauce and Dijon. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Add the meatballs and simmer while stirring regularly for about 20-30 minutes or reduced and thickened.

5. Serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes.