Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin 
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 2 quarts beef stock 
• 1 quart water 
• 0.5 cup tomato sauce 
• 0.5 pound green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 large carrots peeled sliced
• 0.3 cup rice raw white
• 1 pound ground beef 
• 0.3 cup spearmint leaves fresh loosely packed chopped ()
• 0.3 cup parsley loosely packed chopped ()
• 1  eggs raw
• 1.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 1.5 cup peas fresh
• 1 teaspoon oregano dried fresh crumbled chopped
• 6 servings salt and pepper 
• 0.5 cup cilantro leaves fresh chopped

Equipment

• pot

Directions

1. Make the soup base with onion, garlic, broth, tomato sauce, carrots and green beans:
2. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed pot (5-qt) over medium heat.
3. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
5. Add stock, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer.
6. Add carrots and string beans.
7. Mix rice into meat, adding mint leaves and parsley, salt and pepper.
8. Mix in raw egg. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
9. Add meatballs to soup, let simmer, add peas: Gently add the meatballs to the simmering soup, one at a time. Cover and let simmer for 1/2 hour.
10. Add the peas towards the end of the 1/2 hour.
11. Add a few pinches of oregano and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a dash of cayenne, to taste.
12. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.