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You Asked For It

Tiny meatballs flavor Italian wedding soup

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published May 24, 2006

L.G. DuPont and Joe Lanni respond to Mildred Finkney's request for Italian wedding soup. Both recipes can use either spinach or escarole and Joe uses ground turkey in place of ground beef. This soup would be great served with a crusty bread. Richard Moore requested a recipe for steak tartare and Richard Kimble shares his.

Kimble stresses that it is imperative to use filet mignon or top sirloin only. He also obliges Marcia Hentzler's request for refried beans.

For: Mildred Finkney of Port Richey

From: L.G. DuPont of Ocala

Recipe: Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

¹/₂ pound extra lean ground beef

1 egg, beaten slightly

2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

¹/₂ teaspoon dried basil

¹/₂ teaspoon onion powder

5³/₄ cups good chicken broth

2 cups thinly sliced escarole or spinach

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

¹/₃ cup finely chopped carrot

In a medium bowl, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil and onion powder; shape into ³/₄-inch balls. In a large saucepan, heat broth to boiling; stir in escarole, orzo pasta, chopped carrots and meatballs. Return to boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook at a slow boil 20 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Stir frequently to avoid sticking. Ladle into bowls.

Serves 4.

*   *   *

For: Mildred Finkney of Port Richey

From: Joe Lanni of Brooksville

Recipe: Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup II

1 teaspoon ground sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¹/₂ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Pinch of nutmeg

1 cup bread crumbs or Japanese Panko

1 pound ground turkey

³/₄ cup Romano cheese, freshly grated reserve ¹/₄ cup

¹/₂ cup egg beaters or 2 large eggs, beaten

¹/₄ cup red wine, optional

5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup beef broth

2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned and stems removed

Make the meatballs by combining the first 10 ingredients, sage through garlic, in a large mixing bowl. Take the large end of a melon baller, or ¹/₂ teaspoon of the mixture, and roll into a small ball. Set meatballs on a baking sheet as you make the soup.

In a 6-quart sauce pan, bring the chicken and beef broths to a boil, remove any foam that comes to the top. Very carefully add the tiny meatballs to the broth. Do not stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Then gently stir in the ¹/₄ cup cheese, let it blend into the broth. Turn off the heat and add the spinach for 1 minute, then serve at once.

Serves 4.

*   *   *

For: Richard Moore of New Port Richey

From: Richard Kimble of Tierra Verde

Recipe: Steak Tartare

Steak Tartare

1 pound filet mignon or top sirloin, freshly ground, medium grind

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

¹/₄ cup finely chopped onion

3 tablespoons capers, drained

4 or 5 dashes hot pepper sauce or to taste

Seasoned salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon cognac, optional

Mix all ingredients lightly to avoid packing the meat too much. Mound steak tartare on chilled plates and serve immediately with thinly sliced pumpernickel or toasted French bread.

Serves 3 to 4.

*   *   *

For: Marcia Hentzler of New Port Richey

From: Richard Kimble of Tierra Verde

Refried Beans

1 pound dried pinto beans

5 cups water

1 or 2 medium onions, diced

¹/₂ to 1 cup hot bacon drippings or margarine

Salt

Wash and drain beans. Combine beans with onions and water, and soak for 12 hours (overnight). Bring to a boil, cover and simmer, adding more water if needed, until beans are very tender and mash readily, about 3 hours. Drain and mash beans, adding bacon drippings. Mix well; continue cooking, stirring frequently, until beans are thickened and fat is absorbed. Add salt to taste. Serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8.

Recipe request

A recipe for whoopie pies is what George Currie wants. He has looked in many cookbooks without luck. Lyn Wood would like a recipe for spice muffins.

You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send requests to You Asked for It, the St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request'' in the subject line. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number.

[Last modified May 23, 2006, 11:45:43]