Albondigas (Mexican Meatball) Soup and Cafe Bombon
I had planned on a Greek themed cooking weekend inspired by a package of phyllo dough in my freezer ... galactoboureko and spanakotheropita and dolmathes. (I keep seeing those jars of brined grape leaves in the grocery store). I even wrote them down on a piece of paper.
And then I picked up a two pound package of fresh lean ground beef on sale at Freshco and decided to make albondigas (Mexican meatball) soup since my friend spikesgirl58 had shared her recipe with me earlier in the week. Well, I started with her recipe.
And then I made a few changes.
Are you surprised?
I figure that about 90% of the recipe is hers.
I thawed the rest of the 1 pound package of home made Mexican chorizo from my freezer to add to the meatball mixture, and picked up some other items on Saturday morning including baby spinach, fresh cilantro and limes.
Spikesgirl's Albondigas (Meatball) Soup - makes 6 - 8 main-dish servings
Meatballs - makes 40-44 meatballs, use half of the meatballs in soup below
1 1/2 - 2 pounds lean ground beef (or half beef and half raw chorizo sausage**)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1** - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro**, mint** and oregano), coarsely chopped
2 tbsp - 1/4 cup** rice
Soup
6 cups chicken stock
4 cups beef stock or consommé
1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican or Greek)
1 medium sized onion coarsely chopped
4 medium /6 small carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes or canned with liquid (optional)
1/2** - 1 cup frozen corn (optional)
1/2** - 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
1/2** - 3/4 pound baby spinach
2 to 3 limes, cut into wedges
** Amounts I used
Combine ground beef/chorizo, bread crumbs, rice, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped herbs, salt and egg. Form into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter (~2 tbsp).
In an 8 quart kettle, combine the chicken stock with the beef stock, onions and oregano.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Drop the meatballs into the stock.
Simmer meatballs for about 5 minutes, then spoon off any fat. (THIS IS IMPORTANT ... I didn't do it and ended up with a layer of fat on top of my soup.)
Add the carrots and potatoes. Continue simmering, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender to bite.
Meanwhile, clean spinach discarding the tough stems. Wash leaves and chop the large ones in half. Add to stock along with corn/peas and tomatoes and cook, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes.
"Ladle into bowls and pass limes," according to Spikesgirl.
* * *
I used the second pound of ground beef for some spaghetti sauce and threw in some other leftover items from my freezer including sauteed mushrooms and pureed tomatoes.
Cafe Bombon
I thought this coffee drink would pair well with a Mexican soup as it has Spanish/Mexican roots ... being equal parts sweetened condensed milk topped with piping hot espresso. Serve in a tall clear glass with a spoon so your guests can admire the layers and then stir and sip this VERY sweet drink. It cools quickly by the way.
And then I picked up a two pound package of fresh lean ground beef on sale at Freshco and decided to make albondigas (Mexican meatball) soup since my friend spikesgirl58 had shared her recipe with me earlier in the week. Well, I started with her recipe.
And then I made a few changes.
Are you surprised?
I figure that about 90% of the recipe is hers.
I thawed the rest of the 1 pound package of home made Mexican chorizo from my freezer to add to the meatball mixture, and picked up some other items on Saturday morning including baby spinach, fresh cilantro and limes.
Spikesgirl's Albondigas (Meatball) Soup - makes 6 - 8 main-dish servings
Meatballs - makes 40-44 meatballs, use half of the meatballs in soup below
1 1/2 - 2 pounds lean ground beef (or half beef and half raw chorizo sausage**)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1** - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro**, mint** and oregano), coarsely chopped
2 tbsp - 1/4 cup** rice
Soup
6 cups chicken stock
4 cups beef stock or consommé
1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican or Greek)
1 medium sized onion coarsely chopped
4 medium /6 small carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes or canned with liquid (optional)
1/2** - 1 cup frozen corn (optional)
1/2** - 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
1/2** - 3/4 pound baby spinach
2 to 3 limes, cut into wedges
** Amounts I used
Combine ground beef/chorizo, bread crumbs, rice, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped herbs, salt and egg. Form into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter (~2 tbsp).
In an 8 quart kettle, combine the chicken stock with the beef stock, onions and oregano.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Drop the meatballs into the stock.
Simmer meatballs for about 5 minutes, then spoon off any fat. (THIS IS IMPORTANT ... I didn't do it and ended up with a layer of fat on top of my soup.)
Add the carrots and potatoes. Continue simmering, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender to bite.
Meanwhile, clean spinach discarding the tough stems. Wash leaves and chop the large ones in half. Add to stock along with corn/peas and tomatoes and cook, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes.
"Ladle into bowls and pass limes," according to Spikesgirl.
* * *
I used the second pound of ground beef for some spaghetti sauce and threw in some other leftover items from my freezer including sauteed mushrooms and pureed tomatoes.
Cafe Bombon
I thought this coffee drink would pair well with a Mexican soup as it has Spanish/Mexican roots ... being equal parts sweetened condensed milk topped with piping hot espresso. Serve in a tall clear glass with a spoon so your guests can admire the layers and then stir and sip this VERY sweet drink. It cools quickly by the way.