Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
• 3 quarts of chicken stock or beef stock OR water OR a mixture of both (we usually use half stock half water as the meatballs will create their own stock)

• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1/2 lb of string beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup of raw white rice
• 1 raw egg
• 1/2 cup of chopped fresh mint leaves and/or parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 1/2 cup of frozen or fresh peas
• Dried oregano, crumbled
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method

1 Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and minced garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and broth mixture. Bring to boil and simmer. Add carrots and string beans.

2 Prepare meatballs. Mix rice into meat, adding mint land parsley leaves, salt and pepper. Add raw egg. Form beef into 1-inch meatballs.

3 Return soup to gentle simmer. Add meatballs to soup, one at a time. Cover and let simmer for 1/2 hour. Add peas towards the end of the 1/2 hour. Add a few pinches of oregano and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish soup with chopped fresh cilantro.

Serves 6-8.