Cooking with Love

Escarole Soup with chicken Meatballs

Escarole is hard to find here in Georgia. My dear friend Fran found some in Publix today and bought me 2 heads.

Ingredients:

2 heads of washed and dried fresh escarole

1 TBS anchovy paste (optional)

3 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced

1 lb ground white chicken

1 tsp garlic powder 

1/2 cup bread crumbs (not panko)

1/2 cup grated locatelli cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

2 TBS parsley (I used fresh)

1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

2-3 TBS olive oil

4 cups chicken broth

1 and 1/2 cups cold fresh cold water

1 egg, beaten 

1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained

Directions:

Wash your escarole, removing any dirt or sand. Dry each leaf. Chop into thirds.

In large saucepan, add olive oil and heat, adding the garlic slices.

Add 1 TBS of anchovy paste and disolve into oil with garlic.

Slowly add chicken broth and clean cold water. Bring to boil. Carefully add cut escarole into the liquid. Press down to drown escarole.

Bring to boil and let cook on simmer for about 30 minutes or until all escarole is wilted.

Mix meatball ingredients and combine well. With wet hands, roll meatballs in palm of hands. Meatballs should be 1 inch in diameter. 

Plop each one into the simmering soup. You'll see them coming up to top of soup. Don't disturb them. Let them become solid and then GENTLY turn them. Let them cook in the soup.

At this time, add a can of drained cannellini beans into the soup. Gently stir in.

Taste for need of salt.

Let simmer for an additional 30 minutes until the escarole is tender.

Ladle into soup bowls. Pass the grated cheese.

Optional: I added 1/3 lb of small pasta, cooked and drained, placed in bowl before adding cooked soup.

Bon Appetito!

A nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon will go nicely.....