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Middle Eastern Meatball Soup

Pete Evans & Helen Padarin
With ground meat in the freezer, you can create countless different meals. We have a chest freezer on the farm and like to order in ten two-pound lots of ground beef, chicken, pork, and lamb, so we are well and truly stocked up at all times. I would much rather eat ground meat than have beef tenderloin or
a lamb chop; not only is it more economical, it is way more tasty. Here is a delicious soup that pairs meatballs with the health benefits and wonderful flavors of medicinal spices.
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine AIP, Gluten-Free
Servings 4 -6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • MEATBALLS
  • 1 lb. ground lamb
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. finely chopped at-leaf parsley leaves
  • 11 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried mint
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped oregano
  • 2 tsp. sweet paprika
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • SOUP
  • 3 Tbsp. coconut oil or good-quality animal fat*
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • pinch of saffron threads
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 3 to matoes chopped
  • 5 c. Beef Bone Broth [recipe in book] or lamb bone broth
  • 14 oz. caulifower chopped into small pieces
  • 1 handful mint leaves
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges (opt.)

Instructions
 

  • Combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl. With wet hands, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil or fat in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches and seal until brown all over (about 2 minutes). Remove from the heat and drain on paper towels.
  • Melt the remaining oil or fat in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and sauté until fragrant,
  • seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they start to break down, 3–4 minutes. Pour in the broth and add the meatballs and caulifower. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the cauliflower is tender, 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, stir in the mint, and serve with the lemon wedges (if using).

Notes

***MAKE AIP FRIENDLY

Omit: cumin, paprika, tomatoes, and black pepper
Substitute: 1/2 c. stock in place of tomatoes