Vegas Wedding Soup
Serves 6-8

This quick recipe called Vegas Wedding Soup was given to us by good friend Foote and I prepared it for Sharon’s 62nd birthday party this very evening.

It is generally agreed that Italian wedding soup (originally known as Minestra Maritata or Pignato Grasso) has nothing to do with wedding ceremonies. The maritata (marriage) is instead between vegetables, and depending upon the region, sometimes pork (meatballs) and vegetables, in a soup. This is somewhat similar to the Italian term soffritto, which is the foundation to creating the succeeding layers of flavor in a risotto: onion and sometimes garlic sautéed in either butter or olive oil. Minestra Maritata is thought to be based upon ancient Roman soup traditions.

Soup has long been credited for nourishing the infirm and keeping hungry bellies full. The first modern public restaurants [18th century Paris, after The French Revolution (1789-1799) when the nobility were guillotined, their chefs were out of work] were places where soup was served to restore (from the French verb "restaurer") the patron's health.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 quarts chicken stock or as needed
18 or more frozen Italian meatballs
1 large package of frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup dried pasta – small shells or as you wish
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 bag arugala, spinach or chopped kale as you prefer
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ cup grated parmesan or Romano cheese

Preparation: 1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened; about 3 minutes. 2. Stir in the Italian seasonings, fennel seeds, salt, red pepper flakes and ground pepper and sauté for 30 seconds. 3. Pour in the broth and bring to a quick boil. 4. Add the meatballs, vegetables, pasta and vinegar to the stockpot and simmer until the pasta is done; about 10 minutes. 5. Stir in the greens. 6. Add the grated cheese to the soup, or serve on the side, or both. Serve with crisp bread.

Richard Wottrich

Swedish Meat Balls
Serves 6-8

According to Mathistorisk Uppslagsbok by Jan-Ojvind Swahn, the Swedish word for meatball (k”ttbulle) first appeared in (Swedish) print in Cajsa Warg's 1754 cookbook. Swahn points out that the meat balls could not have been a common food, at least not for common people, until the meat grinder made the preparation simple. Swedish meat balls, smaller in size that those of Italy or Germany, are traditionally served with cream gravy and lingonberry preserves.

Sharon’s mom made a version of this Swedish meat balls recipe for years, albeit her delicious meatballs were very, very small. Sharon and I started this tradition up again for Christmas Eve 2006. The precise size of the meat ball is of course up to you, but as you should know, Scandinavians do not call attention to themselves.

Meatballs
2 eggs ½ cup mashed potatoes
2 cups fine dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons minced onions
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¾ teaspoon allspice
¾ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ ground cloves
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
1 pound ground round beef
½ pound lean ground pork
3 tablespoons butter or more

Sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Dash of hot red pepper sauce
1 cup beef stock
1 cup of cream, half-and-half, or sour cream as you wish

Preparation: 1. Beat one of the eggs in a large bowl. Add the mashed potatoes, ½ cup of the bread crumbs, the onions, and all the seasonings; combine well. 2. Place the meats in a food processor bowl and pulse a few times until the meat looks smooth. 3. Transfer the meat to the mixing bowl and mix well with the egg, potatoes and seasonings mixture. 4. Shape your meatballs to no more than 1 inch in diameter. 5. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and pour into a pie pan. 6. Pour the remaining bread crumbs into another pie pan. 6. Roll the balls first in the egg, then lightly in the bread crumbs. 7. In a 10-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium heat; add the meat balls in a single layer and brown them on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes a batch, turning them with tongs. Drain on paper towels while preparing the sauce. To the drippings in the skillet, add the flour and seasonings. Heat and serve until bubbles appear, then add the stock and cream, half-and-half or sour cream. Whisk until smooth – the sauce will be a bit thin (unless you use sour cream). Return to the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens.

Serve with Swedish pancakes and lingonberry preserves. A small glass of Aquavit couldn’t hurt…

Richard Wottrich