Warm hearty soups are a go to meal for me. I make a huge pot of soup, freeze it in Chinese food soup containers, and then I have it for the winter. I always cook in bulk to save myself time later. Why make three small pots of soup when you can make one big one?
So here is my version of Escarole Soup. I make it will all organic ingredients (except for the salt, pepper and cheese) and use turkey meat to make it healthier than the beef meatballs. It is easy to prepare and easy to eat. The meatballs fills you up while the escarole gives you your green vegetables. This recipe can be made with conventional products or using a combination of ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 lb of organic ground turkey
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
cup finely chopped organic fresh parsley
4 large organic garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
1TBS plus 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup Organic Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup organic milk
2 organic eggs
2 TBS Organic Olive Oil
2 heads of organic escarole ( I find mine at Whole Foods), cut up into small strips
1 large organic white onion, chopped
4 quarts (4 32 oz containers) organic chicken broth, either homemade or store bought
cheese rinds from Parmigiano Reggiano
2 15 oz. cans Organic Great Northern Beans, rinsed
How to do it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
First make the meatballs:
Combine the turkey, cheese, parsley, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, bread crumbs and milk into a bowl.
Mix until it is a homogeneous mixture. Use a fork to do this and do not mash the meat, just combine it.
Make a well in the middle of the meat and add the eggs. Scramble the eggs inside the well, then combine into the meat mixture.
Make the meatballs. They should be one inch in diameter. You should get about 50 bite sized meatballs.
Place them on a greased baking tray and cook for 20 minutes. They will look light brown and cooked int he middle. Do not overcook them, the turkey meat is very lean and will dry out easily.
Prepare the escarole:
Fill your sink with 3 inches of water. Chop the escarole into thin strips and place it in the sink.
Mix it around for a few seconds. Let it sit for 5 minutes. This is to get all of the sand and grit out the escarole and to keep it out of your soup. Take the escarole out of the sink and place it in a strainer. Be careful not to mix up the water as you remove the escarole. You want to keep the sand at the bottom of the sink.
Make the soup;
Heat a large soup pot on low with 2 TBS of olive oil. Add the onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 TBS salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and cook on low for about 10 minutes until the onions and garlic are translucent. Do not burn them.
Add the escarole and let it saute for 5 minutes until it is wilted down.
Add the stock, cheese rinds and meatballs. Cook for 30 minutes until the meatballs absorb the stock and the cheese has had a chance to flavor the stock.
Add the beans. If you are going to freeze the soup, keep the beans out until you are ready to reheat it. The beans will break down too much and get mushy.
Remove the cheese rind. Eat and enjoy.
So here is my version of Escarole Soup. I make it will all organic ingredients (except for the salt, pepper and cheese) and use turkey meat to make it healthier than the beef meatballs. It is easy to prepare and easy to eat. The meatballs fills you up while the escarole gives you your green vegetables. This recipe can be made with conventional products or using a combination of ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 lb of organic ground turkey
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
cup finely chopped organic fresh parsley
4 large organic garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
1TBS plus 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup Organic Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup organic milk
2 organic eggs
2 TBS Organic Olive Oil
2 heads of organic escarole ( I find mine at Whole Foods), cut up into small strips
1 large organic white onion, chopped
4 quarts (4 32 oz containers) organic chicken broth, either homemade or store bought
cheese rinds from Parmigiano Reggiano
2 15 oz. cans Organic Great Northern Beans, rinsed
How to do it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
First make the meatballs:
Combine the turkey, cheese, parsley, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, bread crumbs and milk into a bowl.
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| All the meatball ingredients ready to combine |
Mix until it is a homogeneous mixture. Use a fork to do this and do not mash the meat, just combine it.
Make a well in the middle of the meat and add the eggs. Scramble the eggs inside the well, then combine into the meat mixture.
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| Mixture combined, eggs added. |
Make the meatballs. They should be one inch in diameter. You should get about 50 bite sized meatballs.
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| Ready for the oven. |
Place them on a greased baking tray and cook for 20 minutes. They will look light brown and cooked int he middle. Do not overcook them, the turkey meat is very lean and will dry out easily.
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| Cooked and ready for the soup |
Prepare the escarole:
Fill your sink with 3 inches of water. Chop the escarole into thin strips and place it in the sink.
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| Organic escarole head |
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| Sitting in the sink |
Make the soup;
Heat a large soup pot on low with 2 TBS of olive oil. Add the onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 TBS salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and cook on low for about 10 minutes until the onions and garlic are translucent. Do not burn them.
Add the escarole and let it saute for 5 minutes until it is wilted down.
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| Escarole wilted down and ready for the broth |
Add the stock, cheese rinds and meatballs. Cook for 30 minutes until the meatballs absorb the stock and the cheese has had a chance to flavor the stock.
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| Chicken stock |
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| Cheese rinds |
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| Stock, cheese rinds and meatballs added |
Add the beans. If you are going to freeze the soup, keep the beans out until you are ready to reheat it. The beans will break down too much and get mushy.
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| Beans |
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| Rinsed beans, ready to add to the soup |
Remove the cheese rind. Eat and enjoy.
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| Ready to serve |
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| Soup's on |
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| Packaged and ready to eat |
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