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Post by cookin4max on Feb 14, 2004 19:54:51 GMT -5
Italian Wedding Soup 1 Gallon and 2 cups Water 1 Cup Italian flavored Bread Crumbs 15 Chicken Bouillon cubes 1 Cup Fresh parmesan cheese grated 10 ounces fresh spinach chopped
1 Egg 1 Bunch Green onions Chopped 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts cubed 2 Cups Carrot Shredds 8 oz. Acini di pepe (Small balls of pasta) 1/2 of whole stalk of celery chopped Salt and Pepper to taste 1 pound of ground round Directions: 1. In a large pot over medium heat combine the water and chicken bouillons, spinach, onions, carrots and celery. Mix well and allow to simmer. 2. In a separate large bowl, combine the ground round, 1 cup parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and egg and mix well. Form mixture into 1/2 inch diameter (Very small balls) and drop them right into the simmering broth. Stirring while dropping them in so they don't get stuck together. 3. Put chunks of chicken breast into the soup while stirring and reduce heat to low. Allow the soup to simmer for 1 hour. Add the pasta 30 minutes before serving and season with salt and pepper to taste. This makes a large amount of soup and freezes well. We love this! Dena
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Post by Carolyn on Feb 20, 2004 20:04:55 GMT -5
Just adding the comments from the thread that was on Ezboards jkaymcc Little Sweetheart Posts: 3407 (9/17/02 11:37 am) Reply Re: Italian Wedding Soup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This sounds delish Dena. Good to hear from you. I hope you are feeling better. Miss you, hope to talk to you later ~Kay~ cakegirl62 Breakfast Club Chef Posts: 5996 (9/17/02 2:13 pm) Reply Re: Italian Wedding Soup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This sounds wonderful. The whole family loves Italian wedding soup. So I will be making this soon. Thanks for stopping by and sharing this with us. It is so good to see you here. Take care and I hope to see/hear from you again soon. ~Lori~ wonder woman Super Mom Posts: 7953 (9/19/02 4:30 pm) Reply Italian Wedding Soup -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for the recipe Dena I lost mine now I have another one. Hope you are feeling better, I miss seeing you around. Dena Unregistered User (9/21/02 8:44 am) Reply Hello -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jkay, WW, and cakegirl. Glad you appreciated the recipe. I made it cause my neighbor lady broke her leg and they had to operate on it 2 times. It's her favorite and she said it was the most original tasting Italian Wedding soup she ever ate. Gave me an A+ LOL I found the recipe on Allrecipies.com I'm feeling better and getting a lot of Christmas projects finished. See you all later.. Cooking4max Admin: Board Mommy Posts: 8490 (11/13/02 10:26 am) Reply Re: Hello -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bumping cause it is cold outside and this is good soup. <img src=" pages.ca.inter.net/~blueirish/images/love.gif" border="0"> prairieSusan Registered User Posts: 298 (11/13/02 11:59 am) Reply Re: Hello -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I made this last week, and threw in some tomatoes and zucchini. I also use my melon baller to make the meatballs. Dena Unregistered User (11/18/02 5:08 pm) Reply I love this and wanted to share. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just made another big batch of it yesterday cause I was out of it again. I think I am hooked on this soup.
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Post by Carolyn on Feb 20, 2004 20:05:14 GMT -5
Waterlogged Unregistered User (11/20/02 8:52 am) Reply In the newspaper today... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- was an article with very detailed direction for this soup! I'm going to make it...someday! Thank you Dena for the recipe...here is what was in the paper today...I did not compare the recipes...I'll go with Dena's version, since its T&T from her! This spells out the details of preparing the soup...step by step...
Each of the key steps - making the basic soup and making the meatballs - can be done two or three days in advance, or even a month ahead of time (cooked, tightly wrapped and frozen). The other steps (cooking the pasta, cooking the greens and adding egg clouds) are done shortly before the soup is assembled and served. And even the pasta and greens can be done early the day the soup will be served.
The following proportions I'm providing will serve eight to 12 people as a first course. You certainly can double the recipe, but you're better off making two batches. Although the textures will be affected, make and freeze the soup. Then reheat it, add the egg clouds at the last minute and serve an aromatic first course for any special-occasion feast.
Here's how to make Italian Wedding Soup, step by step.
1. First, make the basic soup
This is the easiest part of the recipe, and if you stop here, you'll have a rich, satisfying, hot chicken soup anytime you crave a bowlful.
Buy 1 pound of carrots, a parsnip or a large parsley root (or both), a bunch of celery, a bunch of flat-leaf parsley and a large stewing hen.
Since most supermarkets don't usually carry stewers, either order one a day or two in advance or use a roasting chicken.
(If you want the richest flavor, also pick up about 4 pounds of chicken backs and necks, a couple more carrots and an extra parsley root.)
You can use plain water to simmer the soup, but if you want that richer product, first make some stock. Place the backs and necks in an oversized saucepan, add a few carrots (scrubbed but unpeeled), the extra parsley root and/or sprigs of parsley. Add cold water just to cover and stir in salt to taste. Bring to a full boil, cover and simmer one to 1½ hours. Strain and cool the resulting stock and discard the solids.
To make the soup, place the chicken in an oversize stockpot. Add carrots, parsnip or parsley root (or a small fistful of parsley) and three or four stalks of celery. Add cold water (or the stock, with additional water) to cover. Stir in salt to taste. Bring just to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 1½ to two hours. If you like, uncover about two-thirds of the way through cooking time.
The soup can be made two days in advance, covered and chilled. Before using, skim off the fat (if refrigerated, it's easy to lift away) and discard fat, along with skin and bones. Cut or tear chicken into bite-sized shreds. Although you can cut the cooked carrots into slices, I prefer to cook additional sliced carrots al dente and add them toward the end. (Soup can be frozen in a tightly sealed container, allowing head space for expansion, for up to one month.)
2. Make the tiny meatballs
These are our family's basic meatballs for use in spaghetti sauce. The only difference is the size into which they're shaped (about 1 teaspoon's worth of mixture for the soup, about Πcup for pasta topping).
Buy ¾-pound each ground sirloin and ground veal. (If you wish, use all sirloin or veal; you can substitute ground chicken for the veal, though it's redundant in chicken soup.) You'll need a generous cupful of freshly grated Locatelli Romano, pecorino, parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus more for the egg clouds), as well as about ½ cup or so packed finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves only). Have on hand two eggs, ¾ cup dry bread crumbs and three to four cloves of finely minced fresh garlic.
Crumble the meat into a large, shallow bowl. Sprinkle the following ingredients (in order) over the meat: the bread crumbs, grated cheese, garlic and parsley. You can add a little salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Gently crumble together the ingredients - mix thoroughly but don't knead or overwork. When completely blended, whisk the eggs and ¼ cup water in a small bowl, then drizzle over the meat mixture and toss to combine completely.
It's easiest to make the meatballs in advance. Take rounded teaspoonsful of the mixture and roll lightly to shape between the palms of your moistened hands and place them on cookie sheets coated with nonstick cooking spray. You either can roast them until done through (about 8-10 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven) or just cover them tightly and freeze them. (You'll thaw them later and slip them into the bubbling hot soup to cook through.)
3. Prepare the pasta
The pasta can be made early in the day.
You'll need 1 pound of small macaroni. We typically use ditalini (tiny straight tubes), orzo (rice-shaped), rosamarina (plump specks, like oversized couscous) or, in a pinch, even small elbows or spaghetti broken into about 1-inch segments.
Cook according to package directions, just until pasta is al dente (tender but still with a bit of firm bite), then drain well and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a zip-lock bag and refrigerate.
4. Prepare the greens
If last-minute time permits, you simply can stir the uncooked, washed and cut greens (technique follows) into the soup and cook them in the broth shortly before serving. Here's what to do if you want to prepare them earlier in the day.
About 1-1½ pounds fresh escarole or curly endive will do, although some prefer a larger amount. It will cook down dramatically. (If you wish, substitute 1 pound thawed frozen chopped spinach.)
Trim off the tough stem end and thoroughly wash the greens. (Pay special attention to root ends, taking care to rinse away clinging soil.) Trim off the thickest part of the yellowish stem ends and discard. Cut the greens into 2-inch lengths.
Pack into a saucepan barely large enough to contain, sprinkling with a little salt. (If you wish, you can add slivers of garlic.) Add about ½ to ¾ cup chicken broth or water, and cover tightly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about six to eight minutes, stirring occasionally, until greens are limp and tender. Don't overcook; you want a fresh green color. Immediately remove from heat, cool over ice and refrigerate.
5. Assemble the soup
You'll need an oversize stockpot filled with the prepared basic chicken soup. If you're adding additional fresh carrots, peel and have available about 2 to 2½ cups of slices (about έinch thick). The thawed meatballs, precooked pasta and greens should be ready. Have set aside a bowl with four eggs whisked with Рcup of one of the kinds of grated cheese and a half-cup of chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Bring the soup to a full boil.
If you're adding additional fresh carrots, stir them in now. Simmer five to seven minutes until tender through.
Stir in the meatballs. If they were precooked, simmer just until heated through. If they were raw, simmer about five to seven minutes.
Stir in the pasta and the greens. Heat through.
Bring mixture back to a full boil. Rebeat the eggs, then gradually drizzle and stir them a little at a time into the soup. The eggs will form fluffy clouds; use a knife or the back of a heavy kitchen spoon to break them into bite-size pieces.
Spoon the soup into warmed soup bowls or cups, and serve immediately. For my money, anything else you serve is apt to take a back seat to this luscious, soul-satisfying soup.
Joe Crea is food and restaurants editor for The Plain Dealer.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
jcrea@plaind.com, 216-999-4401
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