Sense of Home Kitchen
Mexican Meatball Soup
~by Sense of Home Kitchen~
6 - 8 servings
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cups chopped onion, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small bay leaves
2 cups mustard greens, chopped
3 quarts homemade chicken stock or 6 14 1/2-ounce cans purchased chicken broth
1 quart home canned whole tomatoes or 1 28-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup home canned tomato salsa or purchased chunky tomato salsa (medium-hot)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup half and half cream
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup long-grain white or brown rice
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 1/2 cups onions and sauté until translucent. Add minced garlic cloves, bay leaves, and chopped mustard greens and sauté, stirring occasionally, until mustard greens have wilted. Add chicken stock or broth, tomatoes, salsa, and fresh cilantro. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
While the broth simmers, combine ground beef, turkey, 1/2 cup of chopped onions, cornmeal, cream, egg, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Mix well. Shape meat mixture by generous tablespoonfuls into 1- to 1 1/4-inch balls. Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and sauté meatballs, in batches, until browned, turning once. Add the browned meatballs to the broth as they finish cooking.
Add white or brown rice to the broth and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 15 - 20 minutes, if using white rice or approximately 40 - 50 minutes, if using brown rice. Cook until the rice is tender. Enjoy!
