Italian Wedding Soup - a marriage of flavor and goodness!

Recently, Aileen and I made this recipe on a cold and damp winter day. This is now being added to our soup rotation! The great thing about this recipe is it doesn't take all day to cook and steep to build its flavor. The other thing that's great about it is it awesome heated up the next day (guilty! I had a bowl of it the next day for lunch). By the way - the way we make this recipe is using our medium sized 4 quart sauce pan (even the meatballs).

Ingredients

• 1 Yellow onion - 1/2 of the onion minced fine and 1/2 of the onion 1/8" dice

• 2 Large carrots - washed, peeled, and slice into 1/8" - 1/4" coins (as shown in the picture above)

• 1 lb Ground Turkey (I prefer dark meat)

• 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning Mix (Basil, Oregano, Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, and Sage)

• 4 Cloves of garlic - 2 minced or grated (for the meatballs) and 2 sliced thin for the soup stock (or minced if you prefer)

• 1/4 Cup panko breadcrumbs (unseasoned)

• Olive Oil

• 3 - 4 Tablespoons chicken stock base (I prefer the Better than Bouillon Brand)

• 5 or 6 cups of water

• 6 oz Kale (remove and discard the large stems and chop / cut any large pieces)

• 3 - 4 oz Israeli couscous (or Acini di Pepe pasta)

• Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

• Salt and fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

TIP: If you don't like any of the seasonings in the pre-packaged Italian seasoning mix, then make your own! Mix and match your favorite spices from the ones listed above.

Directions

Make the Meatballs

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, panko bread crumbs, 2 cloves of the minced garlic, the minced 1/2 onion, 1/2 Tablespoon of the Italian seasoning, 1 Teaspoon of salt, 1/2 Teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, and 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil. Combine the mixture thoroughly - go ahead and get in there with your hands and really mix it well.

2. Form the mixture into small meatballs - about 3/4" in diameter and set aside onto a chilled plate or platter.

3. Heat heavy drizzle of olive oil in your medium pot over a medium / medium-high heat.

4. When oil is shimmering, add the meatballs to the pan to cook them. Keep an eye on the meatballs as they cook to make sure you keep turning them until they are browned all over (TIP: Try not to crowd the pan - you will need to cook the meatballs in batches so you can keep the heat even and you have room to navigate with them).

5. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.

Make the Soup Stock

1. In the same pot, turn down the heat to medium-high and add another heavy drizzle of oil.

2. Add the remaining diced onion and carrot. Cook the onion and carrots, stirring occasionally until the onions are sweated and translucent and the carrots are slightly soft (approximately 4 minutes).

3. Add the remaining garlic and Italian Seasoning - cook until you've brightened the he spices and they become fragrant (about 30-45 seconds).

4. Stir in the chicken stock base and water. Add salt to taste and bring the soup to a simmer.

5. Add the kale and couscous (which is fun to type and say!!!) or pasta. Continue to cook until the couscous and carrot are tender and kale has softened (approximately 10 minutes). Make sure you look ahead to the next step.

6. In the last 2 - 3 minutes of cooking, return the meatballs to the stockpot and cook until the ingredients are cooked through.

7. Adjust final taste of soup with salt and pepper.

8. Plate your soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve with some nice crusty bread.

TIP: I love serving this soup with sauteed kale - simply saute it in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of red hot pepper to add a kic (I put the garlic in after I start to saute the kale so the garlic doesn't burn). I also take and add a few tablespoons of the soup to give it a little more flavor. Add a little salt and pepper to taste - So good!!!

As Always Best Regards and BonAppetIT!!!

TheITGourmet