Recipe: Mexican albondigas soup
From Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook, Workman

Serves 6

For the meatballs:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion (1/4-inch dice or smaller)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup fresh break crumbs
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium-sized carrots, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 large leek, both white and light green parts, rinsed well and thinly sliced (about 1 cup), or 1 cup diced yellow onions (1/4-inch dice)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
1 cup diced fresh or canned tomatoes, with their juice
10 cups store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Make the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the cumin, thyme and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

Place the egg and the cream in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Add the bread crumbs and stir to combine.

Place the beef in a medium-size bowl. Add the onion mixture, the egg mixture and the salt and pepper and mix with your hands to combine. Form the beef mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on a platter. Refrigerate the meatballs, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. (The meatballs can also be frozen at this point for up to 2 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before proceeding with the recipe.)

Make the soup: Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the carrots and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the jalapenos and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is soft but not browned, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stock and chili powder. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the meatballs and adjust the heat so that the soup simmers gently, uncovered, until the meatballs are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the chopped cilantro. Any leftover soup can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.