Pork Meatball Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms and Toasted Rice

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Szechwan peppercorns or freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup Shaoxing rice wine or sake
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps halved
• 3 ounces baby spinach (4 cups)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Red chili sauce, for serving

1. In a large bowl, mix the ground pork with the ginger, shallot, garlic and ground Szechwan peppercorns.
2. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the rice wine and the sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and sesame oil.
3. Form the mixture into 10 meatballs.
4. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering.
5. Add the meatballs and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 4 minutes.
6. Add the chicken broth and mushrooms and simmer over moderate heat until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
7. Add the spinach, scallions, soy sauce and the remaining 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon rice wine and simmer until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute.
8. Season the soup with salt and serve with chili sauce on the side.

ground pork, ginger, shallot, garlic, ground black pepper, rice wine, sugar, salt, asian sesame oil, vegetable oil, lowsodium, shiitake mushrooms, baby spinach, scallions, soy sauce, red chili sauce

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/november-2007-pork-meatball-soup-with-shiitake-mushrooms-and-toasted-rice (may not work)