Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
SOUP
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 cup chopped carrots (2 medium)
1 cup chopped celery (2 medium stalks)
4 cups chopped cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
8 cups coarsely chopped escarole or thinly sliced kale leaves (about 1 bunch)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
Process:
To prepare meatballs: Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire, fennel seeds, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up. With damp hands, shape the mixture into 32 (1-inch) meatballs (about 1 scant tablespoon each).
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and add wine, stirring gently to loosen any browned bits.
To prepare soup: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, 7 to 9 minutes. Add cabbage and cook, stirring, 5 minutes more. Stir in broth, beans, escarole (or kale) and the meatballs and any juice. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Top each portion with 1 tablespoon grated cheese.
TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months; top with cheese just before serving.
Tip: To make your own fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. To make fine breadcrumbs, process until very fine. To make dry breadcrumbs, spread coarse or fine breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs or about 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs. For store-bought coarse dry breadcrumbs we like Ian’s brand, labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them at well-stocked supermarkets.