Iraqi Lentil Soup with Meatballs
IRAQI LENTIL SOUP WITH MEATBALLS
Adapted from Suad Shallal Time: 45 minutes
2 medium onions, minced
1 pound ground beef or lamb or both
½ cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt plus salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon allspice, freshly ground from about 5 whole allspice
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
10 cups chicken broth
1 pound brown or yellow lentils
3 rounds angel hair pasta (about 2 ounces)
2 carrots, diced fine
Juice of one half lemon.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place half the onions and the ground meat, parsley, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and allspice in a medium mixing bowl. Blend ingredients, and form into balls the size of walnuts. Turn onto the baking pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and drain on a paper towel. In a soup pot, sauté remaining onions in olive oil over medium heat until golden. Add chicken broth and bring to boil.
Pick any stones from over lentils, place in bowl, cover with cold water, and drain. Add them to soup, turn heat to low, and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.
Crumble angel hair pasta into soup, along with carrots and meatballs. Simmer slowly for another 5-10 minutes or until lentils and noodles are cooked, adding more chicken broth or water as needed. Just before serving, squeeze lemon into soup.
Yield: 6 to 8.
This recipe is a favorite of local maker and Foundette, Marian Short Aka Cakeasaurus, who will be set up at FOUND for our SOUPer Bowl Saturday on February 8, from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Marian’s love of carving linoleum blocks as a printmaker can also be seen in her stoneware pottery. All her clay forms are hand built, carved, and glazed -- making each piece unique. Marian has been in printmaking for 20+ years; she has exhibited locally and sells globally.
Originally published by The New York Times as a break-the-fast meal during Ramadan, it’s Iraqi Lentil Soup with Meatballs.