I make this  at least 5-6 times a year, as it is a fan favorite in my household, and a great way to cook wild game into a soup. For this one I chose to use ground elk meat for the meatballs, which because of how lean elk is, you will need to introduce a bit a fat to keep the meatballs from falling apart. 

Step 1

Heat the oven to 375F and start making the meatballs by mixing the ground elk meat, eggs (1 per Lb) grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese, chopped onions, bread crumbs (helps in forming meatballs) and seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, sage, thyme, sometimes a little truffle salt too). Roll the meatballs as small as you can (about as wide as a Nickel), so that they don’t overtake the soup. Grease a baking sheet and put in the oven for 20-30 minutes until fully cooked. 

Step 2 

Start the broth. Start heating several quarts of chicken broth. If you have time make it from scratch, but using store bought will still yield you a nice result. While that’s heating chop up an onion, celery stalks, parsley, carrots and baby spinach, and then stir the vegetables into the broth, bring it to a boil. Adding seasoning ( salt, pepper, garlic, chicken bouillon, Italian spice, bay leafs). Once boil is achieved, then reduce the heat to a simmer. 

Step 3

Add the meatballs to the soup and simmer for at minimum an another 30 minutes. Test the broth to make sure it has the right taste and if needed adjust with adding a bit of water, or more spices. 

Step 4

Serve in a bowl and top with some grated Parmesan cheese. Some recipes call for adding Orzo or other small noodles. I usually leave this option out for a less carbs approach. Too each is own, enjoy!

From Andy Techmanski