Filipino Wedding Soup

Bowl made by Heath Ceramics and pot by Le Creuset.

Mash-up time! One of my favorite Filipino dishes is called Tinola, and one of my favorite soups is Italian Wedding Soup. I changed it up by packing all the ginger-packed flavors of tinola into the meatballs and the broth. You usually eat the Filipino version over rice, but I couldn’t help myself and just threw in orzo because I love pasta. What you end up is a super flavorful soup that will warm your soul. I have no clue why chicken soup does that every time.

Ingredients:

• Meatballs:

  • 2 pounds ground chicken

  • 1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

  • 2 eggs, beaten

  • 3 cloves grated garlic

  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger

  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • Extra-virgin olive oil

• Soup:

  • 2 cups chopped onion (white or yellow)

  • 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger

  • 2 quarts of low-sodium chicken stock

  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

  • 5 chayote squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

  • 1 bunch bok choy, roughly chopped

  • 3/4 cup of orzo

  • 1 bunch fresh spinach (1 package of frozen spinach works, but thaw it and wring it out).

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Make the meatballs. In a large bowl mix everything except the ground chicken in a bowl until combined. Add the ground chicken and begin to mix with the seasonings using a fork. You don’t want to overwork the mixture, or you’ll end up with a tough meatball. Put meatball mix in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill.

2. Remove meatball mix from fridge, and make 2 tablespoon meatballs. Place the meatballs on sheet tray until you are about to pan fry them.

3. In a large nonstick pan, heat up EVOO over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs on each side just so you get browning. You’re not trying to cook the meatballs through — that will happen in the soup. Set aside meatballs on the same sheet tray.

4. Begin making the soup. In a large dutch oven, heat up the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add in the chopped onion and sauté until softened.Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add in chicken stock, fish sauce, and the meatballs. Reduce the heat to simmer, and cover pot. Cook for 15 minutes. Add in the boy choy and orzo, and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Last, add in the spinach and adjust the seasoning of your soup with S&P.

5. To plate, add in a couple ladles of the soup into a bowl — making sure you get every component. Be careful though because the chayote and meatballs hold in heat, so don’t burn your mouth!