Cold-busting Turkey Meatballs Soup
As you may know, there’s been a bit of a war on a few fronts here.
My battle against cats pooping in the garden seems to have swung in our favour but the slugs and snails have gained ground and munched most of my kale, sorrel and beetroot seedlings that I recently planted and wrote about in my last post. And thrips (yes, new to me too) have decimated my lovely peas but the broad beans, runner beans and french beans are struggling bravely along in the face of slimy predators. Oh yes, it’s a battlefield in our small back garden. NEWSFLASH: reports are in that the potatoes are positively storming ahead, go spuds!
However, indoors, he-who-would-love-to-be-obeyed (like THAT’S about to happen) has developed a cold. To the bridge! We have a new enemy attack. Man-flu.
During these man-flu battles all offers of cold tablets are usually met with a manly, phlegmy sniffle, a hacking cough and a wave away. So in order to ensure that we both get some sleep (I hate snuffly snoring, worse than any 'regular' snore which is nudged away in this household) I decided to plan an offensive and rustle up an ancient cold remedy; a hot, light, spicy soup with the added power of some spicy turkey meatballs. Light, easy to digest, the steaming soup actually feels like it’s doing you good.
So, after 35 minutes of military precise action in the kitchen by this Irish soldier, the bleary man-flu warrior was slurping away. Two bowls are needed to ensure a fighting chance of a decent night’s sleep so although the recipe says serves two, in less stressful situations you could feed four, especially if you add noodles. We had ours without.
Soup slurped, the warrior headed off to bed leaving me with complete control of the remote and some chocolate brought back from our Paris trip. Result!
And yes, I did get to sleep well, thanks for asking.
Cold-busting Turkey Meatballs Soup
Serves 2
meatballs:
250 g turkey thigh mince
3 heaped tbls bread crumbs
3 heaped tbls finely chopped parsley
1 tsp Sriracha (or similar hot chilli sauce)
2-3 cm knob of fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp lime juice
soup:
1 leek, washed and finely sliced into lengths
1 stick lemongrass, finely sliced
fresh ginger, a thick slice approx 3 cms x 5 mms, cut into batons
1/2 small red chilli, finely chopped
(keep seeds if you like it extra hot)
1 stick celery, finely sliced
4 small carrots, finely diced
peas / beans / sweetcorn / sliced pak choi
- add whatever you have in the fridge. I added some chicory!
chicken stock* I used about 750 mls
a light bland oil, groundnut is a good choice
salt & pepper
to sprinkle:
sliced spring onion,
fresh coriander,
chopped, toasted sesame seeds / nori (seaweed) flakes
Method:
First make the meat balls by mixing all the meatball ingredients well by hand. With wet hands roll chunks of the mixture into walnut sized balls. You will get approx 12 - 15 balls. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 15 - 30 mins if possible.
In a medium saucepan heat a tablespoon of oil and sauté the vegetables and spices starting with the leek then lemongrass, ginger, celery, carrots, chilli and whatever other veg you have. Add the stock take it up to a simmer and let it gently simmer for 10 mins.
Add the meatballs, making sure they are almost completely submerged (you may have to add the extra water/stock at this stage) and simmer very gently for another 8 - 10 mins. Taste and season.
Don’t be tempted to speed things up by boiling the soup strongly or the meatballs could break up. Slow and steady is the way.
Serve with a dash of pepper sauce if you like things extra spicy and a sprinkling of sliced spring onion, chopped coriander, sesame seeds /and or nori flakes (all optional but so good).
*chicken stock:
now see here, you just have to get used to making stocking from leftover roast chicken carcases and freezing some for just this kind of occasion. Obviously I’m that kind of nerd but if you’ve failed to do that you a) have to resolve to do better in future and b) can use a stock cube and just accept that it won’t be as delicious as the homemade stock but, hey-ho, we can’t all be ex-head girl of a convent school can we? And do taste before seasoning as stock cubes are salty.