Shelly's Recipe

ESCAROLE SOUP WITH MEATBALLS

Category: Soups

Stock
1 (4-5 lb) chicken, cut up
2 large onions, cut into quarters
1/4 tsp whole black pepper corns
1 bay leaf
3 ribs celery and carrots, chopped

Meatballs
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 large onion, minced
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
1/2 tsp salt and ground black pepper
2/3 cup grated Romano or parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk

1 (13-14 oz) can chicken broth
1 small heat escarole (about 8 oz), washed thoroughly and cut into 1/2 inch strips with stems discarded

Stock: In a stockpot, combine ingredients and 12 cups water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until chicken is tender. Don’t boil hard to prevent broth from being cloudy. Remove chicken to a bowl to cool. Strain broth into another bowl, discard solids. Cool until fat separates from juice, skim fat and discard. While chicken is cooling, saute minced onion in 1 tbsp olive oil, until golden. Add minced garlic and saute 2 minutes more, don’t brown garlic. Chop enough chicken into tiny dice for 2 1/2 - 3 cups for meatballs and refrigerate remaining chicken for another use.

Meatballs: Combine chicken and remaining ingredients and form into meatballs, lay on cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm. Return broth to a clean pot; add canned broth; heat to boiling. Add a little salt and pepper, to taste. Add meatballs and cover and simmer gently on low for 15 minutes. Stir in escarole, heat through. Serve with grated cheese.