Greek Meatball Soup

 Ingredients: -2 medium onions -1-2 carrots -1 parsley root -1 parsnip -1 small celery root -1 small kohlrabi, optional -bone broth -60 g rice -500 g veal or beef -2-3 eggs -1 tablespoon flour, for meatballs -2 bunches of fresh parsley, finely chopped -200 g sour cream -1 tablespoon flour for thickening, optional -juice of 1 lemon or lemon salt, to taste -2-3 green onions, sliced thin -flour -oil -salt -pepper For serving: hot pepper or pickled hot pepper, optional

We start the culinary adventure with a delicious recipe for Greek-style meatball soup that will delight anyone's taste buds. The first step is to sauté a finely chopped onion in a little heated oil until it becomes golden and fragrant. Once the onion is ready, set it aside and turn your attention to the vegetables. Grate or slice the carrots, celery, and bell pepper, then sauté them in the same pan until they start to soften, releasing their flavors. Here, we add the bone broth along with the sautéed onion and let everything simmer on low heat until the vegetables are perfectly cooked.

Meanwhile, we prepare the rice. It should be washed well and blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. After draining it, rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Now it’s time to deal with the meat. Pass the meat through a meat grinder twice to achieve a fine and homogeneous texture. In a large bowl, mix the minced meat with the cooked rice, flour, a bunch of finely chopped parsley, egg whites, and the sautéed onion, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Vigorous kneading of the ingredients is essential to achieve fluffy and tasty meatballs.

Once the mixture is well homogenized, form small meatballs, rounding them with wet hands in cold water or oil, then dust them with flour to give them a crispy texture. Place them on a platter greased with a little oil or sprinkled with water to prevent sticking. Carefully add the meatballs to the soup on the stove, one by one, ensuring they are evenly distributed across the surface of the pot. Let them simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the meatballs rise to the surface, indicating they are cooked.

Finally, check the taste of the soup and adjust with salt and pepper as preferred. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sour cream, mixing in the flour (optional) to achieve a creamy consistency. Thin this mixture with a few ladles of hot soup, adding it gradually while stirring continuously. Then pour this liaison into the soup on the stove, stirring well, and keep on low heat just until the soup begins to boil again.

Turn off the heat and sour the soup with lemon juice or lemon salt, to taste. Sprinkle the green onion mixture with the remaining parsley, cover the soup, and let it rest for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend harmoniously. The Greek-style meatball soup is served hot, either in bowls, soup pots, or mugs, and can be accompanied by hot peppers or pickled hot peppers for an extra flavor kick. This recipe will not only bring warmth to the soul but will also turn every meal into a celebration of tastes and aromas.

 Tags:  eggs onion greenery meat carrots rice soups pepper flour oil sour cream life lemon