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Tomato: Dilled Tomato-Eggplant Soup

Source of Recipe

The Tomato Book/Tarr


List of Ingredients

1 md Eggplant peeled
1 tb Butter * see note
6 md Tomatoes peel, seed, chop
2 md Onions finely chopped
1 1/2 Cloves garlic minced
2 Bay leaves crumbled
1 pn Marjoram
8 c Beef stock
1/3 c Rice uncooked
Salt and black pepper
1/2 lb Ground veal ** see note
1/8 ts Nutmeg
1/8 ts Oregano
2 tb Fresh dill minced


Recipe

Cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes. *** Saute in butter for 30 minutes until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes. Reserve 2 teaspoons chopped onion and add remaining onions to the tomato-eggplant mixture, along with the garlic, bay leaves and marjoram. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add stock and rice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer soup, covered, for 40 minutes, then bring to a boil.

Mix together the ground beef, reserved onions, nutmeg, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Shape into 1/2-inch balls and cook in the boiling soup for 15 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with dill.Serves 6
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Original poster's Notes:
* - Original recipe called for 3 tablespoons each butter and oil.
** - I used 93%-lean ground beef. The recipe called for veal. If substitute "extra lean ground beef" in the recipe, MasterCook shows the recipe to be about 35% cff. However, the MasterCook ingredient list is from the USDA Nutrient Database (I believe), and the USDA Nutrient Database defines extra lean ground beef as 17% fat. Therefore, I believe 93%-lean ground beef is acceptable. However, I am leaving "veal" in the recipe for those who may not agree with my reasoning.
*** - Original recipe called for soaking eggplant cubes in salted water for 20 minutes. I find this unnecessary if the eggplant is fresh.