Mexican Meatball Soup

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups canned tomatoes diced canned drained (one 15-ounce can)
• 1 quart chicken broth low-sodium homemade canned
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil 
• 2.5 tablespoons bread crumbs dry
• 1  eggs beaten
• 1 cup corn kernels fresh frozen (cut from 2 ears)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 0.5 pound ground beef 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 0.8 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper black
• 2  jalapeño peppers chopped
• 1 tablespoon juice of lime 
• 2.3 teaspoons oregano dried
• 1 small onion red chopped
• 1.8 teaspoons salt 
• 2 cups water 
• 0.5 pound zucchini cut into 1/2-inch dice

Equipment

• bowl
• pot

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat.
2. Add the onion and half the jalapeos and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the zucchini,1 1/2 teaspoons of the dried oregano, if using, and 1/4 teaspoon of the cumin and cook, stirring, until the zucchini starts to soften, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the broth, water, tomatoes, 1 1/4teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper; bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic, the remaining jalapeo, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon of the fresh oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the bread crumbs, and the egg. Shape the mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
6. Add the meatballs and corn to the soup and simmer until the meatballs are just done, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, if using.
7. Wine Recommendation: The oregano, jalapeos, and cumin here would give most wines a run for their money, but a lusty red zinfandel is spicy and rich enough to face those powerful ingredients without flinching.