Persian Meatball Soup with Apricots, Brown Rice, and Yogurt

• Gluten free

• Meat

  • 1 lb Ground beef, lean

• Produce

  • 2 1 1/2 cups dried apricots
  • 3/4 lb Flesh potatoes, yellow
  • 1 tsp Mint, dried
  • 1/4 cup Mint, fresh leaves
  • 1 cup Shallots
  • 1/4 cup Tarragon, fresh leaves
  • 1 tsp Thyme, dried
  • 1 Yellow onion, medium

• Canned Goods

  • 8 cups Chicken broth, low-salt

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 cup Brown rice

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 3 tbsp Olive oil

• Dairy

  • 1 1/2 cups Yogurt, Plain

Found on panningtheglobe.com

Description

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup thinly sliced shallots (3-4 medium shallots)
• 1 cup brown rice, rinsed and drained (or substitute 1 cup farro or 1 cup wheat berries)
• 1½ cups dried apricots - about 2 dozen - each apricot sliced in half. (My favorite are the organic unsulphured apricots)
• 8 cups low salt chicken broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more, to taste
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and grated on a box grater
• ¾ pound yellow flesh potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice (3 small potatoes)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Toppings:
• 1½ cups plain yogurt
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• ¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Directions

• Start The Soup: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Sauté the shallots for 3-4 minutes, until they soften. Add the rice toss it around in the pot until all the grains are coated with oil. Add the apricots and 5 cups of chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook at a strong simmer for 30 minutes.
• Shape and cook the meatballs: While the soup is simmering mix the ground beef with the onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Roll into small (1-inch) balls. (30-32 meatballs) Spread a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a large skillet. Add the meatballs to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Brown the meatballs on all sides, 4-5 minutes total. Remove from heat.
• Finish The Soup: Once the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add the meatballs, potatoes, remaining 3 cups of broth, dried thyme, dried mint, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Turn the heat to high to bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes longer, or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat. Cover the pot and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To Serve: Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top each bowl with a heaping tablespoon of yogurt and a heaping teaspoon of each of the fresh herbs.