Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 bunches scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1 (28 ounce) can broken tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 dried mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 quart water
• 2 pounds very lean hamburger
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Sauté onions in hot oil in a large soup pot until limp. Add chiles, tomatoes and seasonings. Add water. Bring to a steady boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
2. While soup is simmering, wet your hands and combine hamburger, eggs, flour, salt, pepper and the 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Form into 1-inch balls. Do not brown. Drop into soup one by one as you make them, keeping soup at a boil. When all are added, turn heat to low and simmer. Taste to adjust seasoning. Cook for 45 minutes.

Notes

Some place hot cooked rice in the soup bowl before ladling soup into the bowl.