Mexican Meatball Soup

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 pound ground sirloin beef
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 carrot, cut into rounds (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 serrano chile, whole
• 1 Yukon gold potato, skin on, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 2 zucchini, diced (about 1 cup)

1. In a heavy large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Cool slightly.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the onion, rice, cilantro, ground meat, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
5. Using wet hands, shape the meat mixture into 20 to 22 (1-inch) meatballs.
6. Combine the carrots, serrano chile, potato, tomato paste, and vegetable stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
7. Add the meatballs and zucchini and simmer on low heat until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
8. Season the soup with salt and pepper, to taste.

vegetable oil, onion, longgrain rice, fresh cilantro, ground sirloin beef, salt, carrot, serrano chile, gold potato, tomato paste, vegetable stock, zucchini

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/mexican-meatball-soup-recipe.html (may not work)