Turkey Meatball Soup

Ingredients for the meatballs

• 2 slices sandwich bread, cubed
• ¼ cup (60 ml) plain yogurt
• 1 lb. (500 g) ground turkey
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp. (30 ml) Dijon mustard
• 1 (5 ml) ground fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp. (45 ml) olive oil

Ingredients for the soup

• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 x 8-oz (227 g) pkg. small white mushrooms, quartered
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• ¾ cup (180 ml) pot barley
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 cups (2 L) homemade or store-bought chicken broth, plus a little more as needed
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Chopped fresh mint, cilantro and fennel to taste, for the topping

• Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine bread cubes and yogurt. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Add the following to the moistened bread in bowl: turkey, egg, Dijon, fennel, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well with your hands or a wooden spoon until combined.
• Slightly oil your hands and roll about 1 tbsp. (15 ml) meat mixture at a time between palms into balls, occasionally oiling hands as needed. Put meatballs in a dish.
• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Working in batches, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, 5–8 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a paper towel–covered dish to drain, leaving saucepan on the range.
• Make the soup: If necessary, add olive oil to saucepan. Once it’s hot, add onion and mushrooms and cook until tender and golden, 5–8 minutes.
• Stir in carrots, barley and garlic, and cook for 2–3 minutes.
• Add meatballs and broth to saucepan and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until barley and meat are tender, about 1 hour.
• Season soup with salt and pepper to taste, adding broth if necessary. Serve soup topped with fresh herbs.

Cooking note: When I want a lighter soup, I cook the meatballs directly in the broth rather than cooking them in oil ahead of time. I also cook the onion and mushrooms in very little olive oil or I simply also drop them raw into the broth.