Lamb and Lentil Soup with Lamb Meatballs

By VerneJ

The author uses the bone left over from a roasted leg of lamb or lamb chops to help flavor this soup; we tested it with her Roasted Chicken Stock and were pleased with the results.

If you’re packing this soup to go, stash the parsley and cheese toppings and the meatballs in separate containers.

Make ahead: The stock can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 4 months.

Per serving (based on 8): 330 calories, 19 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 560 milligrams sodium, 9 grams dietary fiber.

Adapted from “Soup Swap: Comforting Recipes to Make and Share,” by Kathy Gunst (Chronicle Books, 2016).

Ingredients

• For the soup:
• 1 large leek
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium carrots, scrubbed well and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 cup canned no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, with their juice
• 6 cups Roasted Chicken Stock (see recipe at https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/roasted-chicken-stock/15460/)
• 1/2 cup packed chopped fresh parsley
• For the meatballs:
• 12 ounces ground lamb
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup plain dried panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
• For serving:
• 1/2 cup packed finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from ajc.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the soup: Trim off the dark-green section from the leek; reserve for making vegetable broth, if you like. Halve the pale-green-and-white section lengthwise. Rinse under cold running water, pat dry and cut crosswise into thin pieces.

Warm the olive oil in a large stockpot over low heat. Add the leek and garlic; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, then add half the rosemary and half the thyme, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the lentils and the tomatoes with their juices, stirring until all the ingredients in the pot are coated. Increase the heat to high, add the Roasted Chicken Stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and add the remaining rosemary and remaining thyme and the parsley. Partially cover and cook for 45 minutes.

For the meatballs: Meanwhile, line a plate with paper towels.

Combine the ground lamb, garlic, rosemary, thyme, egg, cheese, panko and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Use your clean hands to mix the ingredients and form them into about 30 small meatballs.

Heat the olive oil with the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oils are shimmering, add the meatballs in batches and cook for about 5 minutes each time, rolling them around in the hot skillet, until evenly browned. (They will not be cooked through.) Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the plate.

After the soup has cooked for 45 minutes, add the browned meatballs. Cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until the lentils and carrots are tender and the meatballs are cooked through. Taste, and add more salt and/or pepper as needed. If the soup tastes weak, uncover and cook over medium heat for 10 more minutes.

Ladle the soup into mugs or bowls, sprinkle with the parsley and/or the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve. Makes: 8 main-course servings or 12 appetizer servings (about 8 cups total)