Of all the ways to enjoy a meatball, arguably they are the most comforting in broth. Not that there’s anything wrong with it spaghetti ...
Of all the ways to enjoy a meatball, arguably they are the most comforting in broth.
Not that there’s anything wrong with it spaghetti and red sauce, miso and Ritz crackersor one of the 45 million other variations of meatballs that exist.
It’s just that taking a piece of meatballs – whether they’re as tiny as marbles or as big as a baseball – in a steaming soup is extremely soothing in a neat and calm way, while the opposite of a chaotic and cheerfully messy atmosphere. under.
This lemony Greek meatball soup, a riff on youvarlakia avgolemono, looks especially calm in the pot. Yet each spoonful vibrates with flavor: the burst of citrus and dill, the depth of chicken broth, the velvety richness of egg yolk.
In the United States, people tend to think of avgolemono as a soup made with pieces of chicken and grains of rice. But, in Greece, adding meatballs to the broth is just as traditional. This recipe replaces the ground beef with ground chicken, making it a bit lighter. Ground turkey works just as well.
Like every time you make meatballs, a gentle touch keeps them from getting rubbery. Indeed, the more you knead and press the ground meat, the more it sticks to itself. Although vigorous kneading is essential for some recipes (such as skewerswhere you want the meat to cling to its skewer so it doesn’t fall into the fire), it’s the enemy of soft, chewy meatballs that float well in broth.
Here’s another tip: Cool the meatballs well before adding them to the simmering liquid to prevent them from falling apart. You can even make the meatballs a few days ahead, storing them in the fridge until you’re ready for the soup.
But don’t try to prepare the avgolemono mixture far in advance. The delicate egg and lemon emulsion may separate as the mixture rests. It is best to whisk together, then pour directly into the broth just before serving. This egg emulsion also means that leftovers don’t freeze well.
If you’re looking to add veggies to the pot, a handful of baby spinach (or other tender greens) is great tossed in about five minutes before the avgolemono mixture is added. It also gives the greens a chance to mellow, without any risk of curdling. Because while versatile meatballs can withstand the heat, caring for your avgolemono is what guarantees the silkiest, most elegant broth.
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