Mireya Chapa-Gauthier of The Masters Hands Massage / Bella Piel Spa in Eunice

Caldo de Albondigas (Meatball Soup)

Caldo de Albondigas (Meatball Soup)

• 4 lbs Ground Chuck
• 3-4 soup bones
• 8 Hard-Boiled Eggs
• 1 ½ lg. Onions
• 1 lg. Bell Pepper
• 2 Green Zucchini’s
• 2-3 stalks of celery
• 4 Ears of corn
• 1 can of Green Peas
• 1 can of diced Tomatoes
• 1 sm can of Tomato sauce
• 1 tbls crushed garlic
• 20 med. to lg. fresh Mint leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Water
• 1 pkg Taco Seasoning (optional)
• 1 can of Rotel (optional)

Method:
Put soup bones and small amount of taco seasoning or salt and pepper in large pot at medium low, when fat starts leaking turn up to medium high. Cut onions and peppers, add to pot when meat is dark and your are ready to start making a gravy.
When onions are medium cooked, add diced tomatoes, rotel tomatoes, add water to half way point in pot, add garlic. Shuck corn and clean it. Add corn to pot and remove after 10 minutes.

Prepare Meatballs: Add ½ of Taco seasoning ad a pinch of salt to ground meat, peel boiled eggs. Make a good sized meatball, flatten it and wrap around egg to form a giant meatball.

Brown meatballs in non-stick skillet (no-oil). While browning meatballs, add the remainder of the Taco seasoning to meatballs, remove corn from soup and continue to boil for about 30 minutes. Set aside browned meatballs, when done. Remove soup bones from pot, add meatballs to soup, let simmer about 35 minutes. Cube zucchini and add to pot, cut celery into small pieces and add to pt, cook for 15 minutes. Add soup bone meat, add corn, peas and fresh mint, in the last 5 minutes and let finish cooking.
Taste to see if seasoned to taste.

Serve over rice.