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Smothered & Stuffed Meatloaves

September 18, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Potato Wedges

Yield: 2

Adapted from: EveryPlate.com

Meatloaves, personal-sized treasures bursting with melty pepper jack (no cheese on Gayle’s) and adorned with caramelized peppers and onions.

Notes: Since Gayle didn’t want cheese, I put a whole egg in the top of hers. Cooked for the whole time, she said the egg was overdone, but loved the dish. I didn’t like the glaze on top of the meatloaves. I don’t care for tomato glaze on meatloaf.
Prep: 10 Cook: 35

12oz potatoes
1green bell pepper
1onion
1TBS fry seasoning
1slice white bread
8oz ground beef
8oz shredded pepper jack
1TBS Dijon mustard
salt & pepper
3TBS ketchup
2tsp brown sugar
2tsp cooking oil
1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Cut potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges.

Halve, core, and thinly slice bell pepper into strips.

Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion.

In a small bowl, combine 1 TBS mustard, 3 TBS ketchup, and 2 tsp brown sugar. (If you don’t have brown sugar, swap in 1 tsp white sugar.)

Roast potatoes:

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, 1 tsp Fry Seasoning, (you’ll use the rest in the next step), salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Form meatloaves:

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, soak bread with 2 TBS water, break up with your hands until pasty. Add beef, remaining Fry Seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper, mix to combine. Flatten meatloaf mixture into two ½-inch-thick rounds. Reserve half the cheese for topping, divide remaining cheese between centers of each round.

Note: No cheese on Gayle’s meatloaf. I cracked a fresh egg into the hole that was filled with cheese on mine.

Fold edges of meat around cheese, shaping and sealing to create 1-inch-tall loaves. Place on a second baking sheet, brush tops with ketchup glaze. Bake on middle rack for 15 minutes. Note: I think the meatloaf and the egg were done at this point. I went for another 5 minutes since the egg was wobbly.

Cook veggies:

While meatloaves bake, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion, cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 7- to 8-minutes.

Add 2 TBS water, cook, stirring, until water has evaporated, and veggies are tender. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in 1 TBS butter until melted. Turn off heat, cover to keep warm.

Top meatloaves:

Once meatloaves have baked 15 minutes, remove sheet from oven. Carefully sprinkle tops with reserved cheese. Return sheet to middle rack until meatloaves are cooked through (160°F) and cheese melts, 3- to 5-minutes more. (probably not necessary).

Serve:

Divide meatloaves and potatoes between plates. Top meatloaves with veggies.

Fry Seasoning

1 TBS

1½tsp garlic powder
1½tsp onion powder
1½tsp paprika

Creamy Chicken Chowder

September 18, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with poblano and crispy tortillas

Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from: Home Chef

Diced chicken combined with sweet corn and feisty poblano, then simmered in cream to achieve a delightful soup. Topped with cheese and crunchy tortilla strips. Add bacon, sausage or shrimp as an option.

1medium/small yellow onion
1poblano pepper
3oz corn kernels
1lime
12oz diced boneless skinless chicken breasts
1TBS chili and cumin rub
4oz light cream
2tsp chicken base
1oz shredded Oaxacan cheese
½oz tortilla strips
olive oil
salt & pepper

Options:

4strips bacon
4oz pork, andouille, or kielbasa sausage links, sliced
8oz shrimp

Prepare the ingredients:

Halve and peel onion. Cut halves into ¼” dice. Stem poblano pepper, seed, and cut into ½” dice. Wash hands and cutting board after prepping. Quarter lime. Pat diced chicken dry, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Sear the chicken:

Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp olive oil. Add chicken to hot pot and stir occasionally until browned on two sides, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Chicken will finish cooking in a later step. Reserve pot, no need to wipe clean.

Start the chowder:

Return pot used to sear chicken to medium heat and add 2 tsp olive oil. Add onion and poblano (reduce quantity if spice-averse) to hot pot and stir often until vegetables are slightly softened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in corn and seasoning rub until combined.

Options:

If using bacon, sausage or shrimp, line a plate with a paper towel. Place a medium non-stick pan over medium heat and add bacon, sausage slices or shrimp to hot pan. Flip occasionally until cooked, 6-8 minutes (3-4 for shrimp). Transfer to towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle bacon, crumble.

Stir half of the options into finished chowder and reserve the other half for garnish.

Finish the chowder:

Add chicken and any accumulated juices, ½ cup water, cream, and chicken base to pot. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until slightly thickened and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 5-7 minutes. For a thinner texture, stir in additional water 1 TBS at a time until desired texture is reached. Remove from burner. Season with a pinch of pepper.

Finish the dish:

Divide between bowls, garnishing chowder with remaining half of optional protein, cheese, and tortilla strips. Squeeze lime wedges over to taste.

Farmhouse Fried Chicken

September 18, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with mashed potatoes, green onion gravy, and corn

Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from: Home Chef

Fried chicken with creamy green onion gravy, accompanied by mashed potatoes and sweet corn.

1½TBS butter
4oz light cream
2green onions
2russet potatoes
6oz canola oil
13oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
½cup Chicken Breading
1TBS plus 3 tsp mayonnaise
3oz corn kernels
olive oil
butter
salt & pepper

Make the Mashed Potatoes

Cut potatoes into ½” pieces. Bring a small pot with potato pieces and enough salted water to cover by one inch to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, 12-15 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid. Drain potatoes in a colander and return to pot.

Add half the butter, ¼ the cream (reserve remaining of each for gravy), ½ tsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Mash until desired consistency is reached. Add potato cooking liquid to thin if needed. Cover and set aside. While potato cooks, prepare ingredients.

Prepare the Ingredients

Trim and thinly slice green onions at an angle.

Pat chicken breasts dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat canola oil in a medium pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Combine mayonnaise and 2 tsp water in a mixing bowl.

Place chicken breading in another mixing bowl.

Dip one chicken breast in mayonnaise-water mixture, then coat completely in chicken breading, shaking off any excess. Repeat with second chicken breast.

Fry the Chicken

Line a plate with a paper towel. Test oil temperature by adding a pinch of chicken breading to it. It should sizzle gently. If it browns immediately, turn heat down and let oil cool. If it doesn’t brown, increase heat.

Lay chicken breasts away from you in hot oil and flip every 3-5 minutes until golden brown and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 10-14 minutes.

Transfer chicken to towel-lined plate. Rest at least 5 minutes. While the chicken rests, cook corn.

Cook the Corn

Place another small pot over medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil and a TBS of butter to hot pot. When foaming stops, add corn and stir occasionally until warmed through, 4-5 minutes. Remove corn to dish and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Wipe pot clean and reserve.

Make Gravy and Finish Dish

Return pot used to cook corn to medium heat.

Add green onions (reserve a pinch for garnish) and remaining cream and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir often until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.

Remove from burner and swirl in remaining butter. Season with a pinch of pepper.

Slice chicken into ½” slices.

Serve:

Divide chicken, potatoes and corn between plates.

Pour gravy over chicken and garnish potatoes with reserved green onions.

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

September 18, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Broccoli and Peas

Yield: 2 Servings

Chicken & mushrooms with a creamy Marsala sauce mixed with broccoli and peas served with pasta.

Needed more sauce, so all of the sauce ingredients below are now doubled.

6oz noodles
6oz cremini mushrooms
1shallot
6oz broccoli florets
12oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
1TBS flour
6oz dry Marsala wine
8oz light cream
2tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
2oz peas
olive oil
salt & pepper

Prepare the Ingredients:

Cut mushrooms into ¼-inch slices.

Peel and halve shallot. Slice thinly.

Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.

Pat chicken breasts dry and, on a separate cutting board, cut into 1″ dice. Season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Place diced chicken and flour in a mixing bowl and toss to coat.

Noodles:

Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Add 1 TBS salt, stir and add noodles. Cook as directed on box.

Sear the Chicken:

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add chicken to hot pan and stir occasionally until seared on two sides, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Chicken will finish cooking in a later step. Keep pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the Vegetables

Add 2 tsp olive oil, mushrooms, and shallot to hot pan and stir occasionally until lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

Add Marsala and stir occasionally until mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in cream, broccoli, 2 oz water, demi-glace, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Finish the Skillet

Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 6-7 minutes.

Add peas and stir until warmed through, 1 minute.

Serve:

You can mix the pasta into the skillet and get it all coated or serve over the pasta. Divide between plates.

Japanese Steak Bento Bowl

September 15, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Rice, Broccoli, and Roasted Peanuts

Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from: Home Chef

Meal-in-a-box seems like a relatively new creation, but not so: before meal-kits, lunch boxes, and frozen dinners, the Japanese had bento boxes. The bento box originates in the 12th-13th century, as a way for Japanese workers to take food to work. We’ll stop the history lesson here, even though the flavors of this bento-inspired dish speak for themselves. Steak strips in garlic sauce and sweet mirin sit atop rice with fresh carrots and broccoli. Add some peanuts for a salty crunch, and red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, and you’ve got a meal-in-a-box that’s a bowlful of joy. Tip: To peel the carrot with less effort, lay it down on your cutting board peel one half, rolling it as you peel. (Be sure to peel in a motion away from you!)

8oz garlic sesame sauce
12oz broccoli florets
20oz steak strips
¼tsp red pepper flakes
1tsp cornstarch
1tsp seasoned salt blend
2oz roasted peanuts
2TBS mirin
1½cups jasmine rice
16oz carrot
olive oil
salt & pepper

Cook the Rice

Bring a medium pot with rice, 3 cups water, and ¼ tsp salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender, 18-20 minutes. Remove from burner and set aside covered. While rice cooks, prepare ingredients.

Prepare the Ingredients

Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces, if necessary. Coarsely chop peanuts. Peel, trim, and cut carrot into ¼” slices on an angle. In a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 tsp water until dissolved. Separate steak strips into a single layer and pat dry. Season all over with seasoned salt and a pinch of pepper.

Cook the Steak Strips

Place a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tsp olive oil. Working in batches, if necessary, add steak strips to hot pan and stir occasionally until no pink remains, 5-7 minutes. Transfer steak strips to a plate. Keep pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the Vegetables

Return pan used to cook steak strips to medium-high heat and add 2 tsp olive oil. Add carrot and a pinch of salt and pepper to hot pan. Stir often until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ cup water, and cover. Cook until water is mostly evaporated, and carrots are tender, 3-5 minutes. Transfer carrot to a plate. Keep pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil, broccoli, and a pinch of salt and pepper to hot pan. Stir occasionally until tender and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.

Finish the Dish

Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine Add cornstarch mixture, carrots, steak strips and any accumulated juices, garlic sesame sauce, and mirin to pan. Stir until steak strips and vegetables are lightly glazed, 1-2 minutes. Remove from burner. Plate dish as pictured on front of card, topping rice with steak strips and vegetables and garnishing with peanuts and red pepper flakes (to taste). Bon appétit.

Cajun Blackened Chicken & Rice Bowls

September 15, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Spicy Crema

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Blackened chicken with savory veggies on top of scallion-flecked rice, all finished with a drizzle of spicy crema. Note: add pre-cooked Andouille sausage into this rice for an all-in-one dish
Prep: 10 Cook: 40

12oz chicken breasts
8oz Andouille sausage, pre-cooked (optional)
1carrot
1Roma tomato
1oz chicken stock concentrate
1tsp hot sauce
1long green pepper
1TBS blackening spice
3celery
2scallions
½cup jasmine rice
4TBS sour cream
salt & pepper
1TBS olive oil
1TBS butter

Cook rice:

Adjust racks to middle and top positions and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Melt 1 TBS butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and rice and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in chicken stock concentrate and ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15 minutes. Turn off heat, and keep covered until ready to serve.

Cook chicken:

Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt, pepper, and half the Blackening Spice. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat (use a nonstick pan if you have one). Add chicken and sear until browned, 2- to 4-minutes per side. Turn off heat, transfer to a baking sheet. Bake on top rack until cooked through, 7-10 minutes. Wipe out pan.

Prep:

Wash and dry all produce. Core, de-seed, and dice green pepper into ½-inch pieces. Dice celery into ½-inch pieces. Trim, peel, and dice carrot into ¼-inch pieces. Dice tomato.

Cook veggies:

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, celery, and carrot. Cook until slightly softened, 4- to 5-minutes. Add tomato, remaining Blackening Spice, salt, and pepper and Andouille. Cook until softened and tender, 3-5 minutes more.

Tip: If veggies begin to stick, stir in a splash of water.

Make spicy crema and finish rice:

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, hot sauce (to taste), and a pinch of salt. Stir in water, 1 tsp at a time, until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

Stir rice into pan with veggies and Andouille. Season with salt and pepper (to taste).

Finish and serve:

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, then slice crosswise. Divide rice mixture between bowls. Top with sliced chicken and drizzle with spicy crema. Garnish with scallion greens. Top with any remaining hot sauce, if desired.

Blackening Spice Blend

3tsp smoked paprika
1½tsp garlic powder
½tsp white pepper
½tsp black pepper
¼tsp thyme
¼tsp oregano
⅛tsp low heat cayenne

Buttery Garlic Herb Chicken

September 15, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus & Herbed Potatoes

Yield: 2

Adaped from: Hello Fresh

Garlic-herb buttery chicken with pan sauce accompanied by prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and herbed roast potatoes.
Prep: 5 Cook: 40

12oz potatoes
6oz asparagus
10oz chicken cutlets
5tsp truffle oil
3cloves garlic
2TBS garlic herb butter
2oz prosciutto
1oz chicken demi-glace
4TBS crème fraiche or sour cream
salt & pepper
1TBS cooking oil

Roast potatoes & garlic:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Bring garlic herb butter to room temperature. Wash and dry produce.

Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces, toss on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Peel garlic. Place whole cloves in the center of a small piece of foil. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper. Cinch into a packet and place on same sheet.

Roast on top rack until potatoes are browned and tender and garlic is softened, 20-25 minutes. (You’ll add more to the sheet after 15 minutes.)

Prep asparagus:

Trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus.

Gather asparagus into four even bundles on a clean work surface. Starting 1 inch from the bottom of the spears, roll up each bundle in a slice of prosciutto, so that the prosciutto covers as much length as possible.

Tip: Tug the prosciutto a little as you wrap to keep it tight around the asparagus.

Roast asparagus:

Once potatoes have roasted 15 minutes, remove from oven. Carefully place wrapped asparagus on empty side. Roast until asparagus are tender and prosciutto is crispy on the bottom, 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, flip wrapped asparagus. Return to oven until crispy all over, 2- to 4-minutes more.

Cook chicken:

Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels, season generously all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes per side.

In the last 2 minutes of cooking, reduce heat to low, add half the garlic herb butter to pan. Spoon over chicken until coated. Turn off heat, leaving butter in pan, transfer chicken to a cutting board. Tent with foil to keep warm.

Make sauce:

While chicken rests, carefully transfer garlic to a cutting board and mash cloves with a fork until smooth.

Heat pan used for chicken over medium high heat. Stir in demi-glace and ¼ cup water, simmer until slightly thickened, 2- to 3-minutes. Turn off heat.

Stir in crème fraîche and garlic.

Tip: If sauce seems too thick, add water 1 tsp at a time until it reaches a drizzling consistency.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.

Finish & serve:

Once potatoes are finished roasting, drizzle with truffle oil to taste, carefully toss to coat.

Divide chicken, wrapped asparagus, and potatoes between plates. Drizzle chicken with as much sauce as you like. Serve with any remaining sauce on the side for dipping.

Beef Tenderloin with Shrimp

September 15, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Pan-seared steaks, smooth mashed potatoes and garlic shrimp are cooked to perfection and topped with a creamy Tarragon mustard sauce.
Prep: 5 Cook: 35

12oz beef steak
10oz shrimp
¼oz tarragon
8oz heavy cream
1½tsp black peppercorns, crushed
10oz yellow potato
1TBS Dijon mustard
8oz broccoli, florets
1oz beef broth concentrate
¼oz parsley
salt & pepper
1tsp cooking oil
1TBS butter

Roast broccoli:

Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Toss broccoli with 1 TBS oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with salt. Roast in the top of the oven, until golden-brown, 12-14 min. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Roughly chop parsley and tarragon leaves.

Cook potatoes:

Combine potatoes, 2 tsp salt and enough water to cover (approx. 1 inch) in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, 10-12 min. Meanwhile, drain and rinse shrimp, then pat dry with paper towels. Pat steak dry with paper towels, then sprinkle over peppercorns and season with salt.

Cook steak:

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add ½ TBS oil, then steak. Pan-fry, until golden, 2- to 3-min per side. Remove pan from heat, then transfer steak to another baking sheet. Roast in the middle of the oven, until cooked to desired done-ness, 5- to 9-min.

Cook shrimp:

Heat the same pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 TBS oil, then shrimp and half the parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp just turns pink, 3- to 4-min. Season with salt. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.

Make tarragon sauce:

Add 1 TBS butter and swirl the pan to melt. Add broth concentrate, mustard, half the tarragon, ¼ cup cream and ¼ cup water. Stir together, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan, until thickened slightly, 1- to 2-min.

Finish and serve:

When potatoes are done, drain. Return to the pot, off heat and mash in ¼ cup cream until smooth. Stir in remaining parsley and season with salt.

Slice steak.

Stir any steak juice from the baking sheet into the sauce.

Divide steak, shrimp, mashed potato, and broccoli between plates.

Spoon sauce over steak. Sprinkle remaining tarragon over plate.

Sesame Soy Beef Bowls

September 15, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Shredded Carrots, Buttery Rice & Sriracha Mayo

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Buttery rice is topped with sweet and savory, sesame-soy sauce-glazed beef, plus sautéed carrots and a drizzle of creamy, spicy Sriracha mayo.
Prep: 5 Cook: 20

2scallions
1TBS sesame oil
4TBS sweet soy glaze
2TBS mayonnaise
1tsp sriracha
4oz shredded carrots
10oz ground beef
5tsp white wine vinegar
¾cup jasmine (or brown) rice
salt & pepper
¾tsp sugar
1tsp cooking oil
1TBS butter

Cook, prep & mix:

Wash and dry produce.

In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, trim, and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with Sriracha to taste. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook veggies:

Heat half the sesame oil (you’ll use the rest in the next step) in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and scallion whites, cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 1- to 2-minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.

Transfer to a second small bowl and cover to keep warm.

Cook beef:

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for veggies over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned, 3- to 5-minutes.

Tip: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.

Stir in half the vinegar, remaining sesame oil, 2½ TBS sweet soy glaze, and ½ tsp sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened and beef is cooked through, 2- to 3-minutes.

Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Finish & serve:

Fluff rice with a fork and stir in 1 TBS butter, season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice between bowls, top with carrot mixture and sesame soy beef. Drizzle with Sriracha mayo and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve.

Meatball Soup

September 11, 2023 vscson Comments 0 Comment

with Potatoes, Onions & Peas

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: Bon Appétit

This meatball soup recipe packs beef stew like cozy flavors into a weeknight dinner that takes just one hour to make. Sautéing the beef meatballs until they’re browned all over helps develop the fond on the bottom of the pot, which is key to building flavor. Meanwhile, giving the panko breadcrumbs a quick soak once combined with the other meatball ingredients helps them retain moisture, ensuring juicy meatballs every time—even if you choose to use ground turkey or pork instead.

1large egg
4garlic cloves, finely grated
1cup panko breadcrumbs
4TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1TBS thyme leaves
3tsp Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp Morton kosher salt, divided (recipe assumes Morton)
freshly ground black pepper
1lb ground beef
1(packed) cup frozen, thawed pearl onions
10oz mushrooms (any kind), torn into bite-size pieces
2TBS double-concentrated tomato paste
1TBS AP flour
⅔cup dry red wine
1lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled, cut into 1″ pieces
4cups low-sodium beef broth
½cup frozen peas
Country-style bread (for serving; optional)

Marinate:

Combine egg, 4 garlic cloves, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS thyme leaves, 1 tsp kosher salt, and ¼ cup water in a medium bowl, season with freshly ground pepper and mix well. Let sit 5 minutes to hydrate.

Add 1lb ground beef to bowl and gently mix until combined.

Meatballs:

Divide and roll meat mixture into ping-pong-size balls (you should have about 20 total).

Heat remaining 2 TBS olive oil over medium-high in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot. Cook meatballs, shaking pot to turn meatballs every few minutes, until browned all over, 6–8 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a plate.

Soup:

Cook 1 cup (packed) frozen, thawed pearl onions and ¼ tsp kosher salt in same pot, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add 10 oz mushrooms (any kind), torn into bite-size pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add 2 TBS tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are coated, and tomato paste is slightly darkened in color, about 1 minute. Evenly sprinkle 1 TBS AP flour over and cook, stirring constantly, until mushrooms are coated, about 1 minute.

Pour ²⁄₃ cup dry red wine into pot and cook, scraping up browned bits stuck to bottom of pot, until almost completely evaporated, 1–2 minutes. Stir in 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled, cut into 1″ pieces, then add meatballs, 4 cups beef broth, and remaining ½ tsp kosher salt, season with pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer soup, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender, 15–20 minutes.

Remove lid and stir in ½ cup frozen peas, continue to simmer until liquid is reduced just slightly, about 5 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with country-style bread if desired.