This is an old childhood comfort blanket of a dish. Whenever we were a bit ill, or when it started getting colder in the fall, we would crave simple things and request either chicken broth or this from my mom. It is a great thing to make when you have leftover rice, but if you don’t, the meatballs can be shaped without the rice. My mom always grates the carrot for this soup on the fine side of the grater; she says it brings a certain injection of gaiety to the soup, giving it a golden shimmer. I hasten to add that my mom also dislikes the texture of cooked carrots, so making them melt into the broth is one of her typical moves. Sometimes I use floury potatoes, sometimes new potatoes, it really is up to you.

　　This recipe was excerpted from 'Home Food' by Olia Hercules. Buy the full book on Amazon. This book was selected as one of the best cookbooks of 2022.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　3 small potatoes (total weight about 10½ oz./300 g), peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes

　　6⅓ cups meat or vegetable stock, or water

　　2 onions, peeled

　　1 pound ground chicken or pork

　　½ cup cooked brown or white rice (optional)

　　1 Tbsp. chopped parsley leaves

　　2 medium carrots, scrubbed

　　2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

　　1 bay leaf

　　Sea salt and black pepper

　　

For garnish

Handful of soft herb leaves, to serve (dill or parsley work best)

　　

Step 1

Put the potatoes into the cold stock or water in a pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

To make the frikadelki, grate one of the onions on the coarse side of a grater and mix it in a bowl with the ground meat, rice, if using, and parsley. Make sure to season well with salt and pepper. For this amount, 1½ heaped teaspoons salt should do it, but you can always fry a little bit to check the seasoning. Mix everything thoroughly with your hands and shape into small walnut-sized balls. Wetting your hands will help the shaping. You should get 15–18 balls in total.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, grate the carrots on the fine side of the box grater. The good fine side, not the one that traps everything in its holes! That side should be forbidden. Chop the other onion very finely. Heat the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and carrots and cook over medium-low heat until soft; it will take 5–8 minutes while the joyful orange of the carrot infuses into the butter. Add this to the potato pot with the bay leaf and enjoy the sight of the water blushing with a happiness-inducing orange glow (thanks, finely grated carrots and Mom).

　　

Step 4

Season the broth well and taste it to make sure it tastes good; if it’s at all underwhelming, add more salt. Now add the frikadelki to the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Serve with some soft herbs, especially dill (game changer), and crusty bread.

　　Reprinted with permission from Home Food by Olia Hercules, copyright © 2022. Photographs by Joe Woodhouse, copyright © 2022. Published by Interlink Books, an imprint of Interlink Publishing Group, Inc. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.