Tomato and Tiny Meatball Soup with Pesto

From issue #8.
Photography by Minka Firth.
Tomato and Tiny Meatball Soup with Pesto

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon cloves
2x 400 gram tins Italian tomatoes, crushed
6 cups chicken stock
1⁄4 cup rice 100 grams pesto

Meatballs
1⁄2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons milk
400 grams lamb mince
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 clove garlic, crushed
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
1⁄4 cup chopped mint
salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Soup: Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the carrot, celery, onion, rosemary, garlic, cinnamon and the cloves and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the stock, season and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rice, cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Season.

Meatballs: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl and mix. Add the remaining ingredients and combine well. Roll into marble sized balls and place on a shallow, lined baking tray. Roast in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

To serve: Add the meatballs to the soup and heat through. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a spoonful of the pesto. Serves 4-6