An old family recipe for cold, rainy days and chilly nights.
Every now and then, The Olive Grove News will open the recipe box and share something a little different, a favorite dish from the families of the people who help bring our newspaper to the community. This month’s recipe comes from Olive Grove News President and CFO Raymond Fernandez, who likes to bring this old family recipe out a couple of times a year, especially during the holidays and colder months. “For those cold fall and winter nights, there’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of homemade Albondiga Soup,” Fernandez says.
His choice: a warm pot of Albondiga Soup, filled with homemade meatballs, vegetables, herbs and the flavors of a recipe passed down through the family. Raymond does offer one piece of advice before you begin: The key is trying not to eat it with too many tortillas. And then there is the great lemon debate. “Some people like to add lemon juice as well,” he says. “I personally don’t; however, nine out of ten people do.” Either way, Raymond hopes you enjoy it.
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup rice
- 1½ tablespoons diced onion
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 1 tablespoon yerba buena (mint leaves), diced
- 1 tomatillo, diced
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Garlic salt, seasoned salt and pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Form the mixture into meatballs approximately 1½ to 2 inches in diameter and set aside.
For the Soup
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1½ tablespoons onion, diced
- 1 tomatillo, diced
- 2–3 carrots, sliced
- 2 zucchinis, sliced
- 1 potato, peeled and quartered
- 1 small can tomato sauce
- Fresh cilantro
- Yerba buena (mint) leaves
- Garlic salt, Knorr chicken bouillon and pepper, to taste
- Chicken stock or water, as needed
Let’s Make Soup
In a 2- to 3-quart pot, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about one minute.
Add the tomato, onion and tomatillo and continue sautéing until everything becomes very soft.
Add the tomato sauce and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Pour in enough chicken stock or water to create the soup broth. Add the carrots, zucchini and potato. Season with garlic salt, Knorr chicken bouillon and pepper to taste.
Add fresh cilantro and a couple of yerba buena leaves, then bring the soup to a boil.
Carefully add the prepared meatballs and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for approximately one hour, or until the meatballs are completely cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Serve hot—with lemon if you’re among Raymond’s “nine out of ten.”
And, of course, tortillas. Just not too many tortillas.
From Our Family to Yours
Food has a wonderful way of carrying family stories from one generation to another. If you have a treasured family recipe with a story behind it, The Olive Grove News would love to hear about it … Because sometimes the best community stories aren’t found at City Hall or a ribbon cutting. Sometimes they’re simmering on the stove.
