Celebrate la vida Latina with albondigas soup

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   >>> and we are celebrating la vida latina in honor of spanish heritage monday and today we're making meatballs and kristi vega is here. good to have you here.

   >> thank you.

   >> these are the spanish meatballs.

   >> they are, a spanish meatball, very traditional mexican cooking and kind of like the soul food , the comfort food , you know, the mexican cuisine . definitely what you have when you're feeling ill or a cold day . want to this the meatball soup.

   >> instead of the chicken noodle soup .

   >> this is a family recipe.

   >> we've used it for 50 years at caka vega and my parents had a restaurant for 18 years before that.

   >> truly authentic then.

   >> let's get start with the soup base then.

   >> we have about six cups of water, and then to this we're going to add our flavoring agent.

   >> okay. we, have you know, three-quarter cups of tomato salsa.

   >> just from a jar.

   >> we use our classic house salsa. definitely go home and it adds a nice kind color to the soup.

   >> right.

   >> and then we'll add about a teaspoon and a half of chicken base, and chicken base is a little different than chicken bouillon because it's cream year, it's not quite as salty, and i think it has a better flavor.

   >> okay.

   >> sold right in the grocery store next to the bouillon.

   >> okay. easy to find them.

   >> easiy to find.

   >> and then some of our spices, cumin, garlic powder and oregano.

   >> perfect.

   >> and we'll add those in there.

   >> all pretty easy for the most part.

   >> do you add more salt?

   >> yes.

   >> we're going to add about a tablespoon of salt.

   >> i love pepper.

   >> and half a tablespoon of white pepper . white pepper is a little less peppery than black pepper , stays in the background of dishes, won't overwhelm it.

   >> did not know that.

   >> move on over to making our meat balls, a minute left here.

   >> we just have regular ground beef, use lean. add an egg.

   >> and this is interesting.

   >> the rice.

   >> what does the rice do in.

   >> the rice kind of binds the meat ball and keeps it nice and moist.

   >> an onion.

   >> white onion , green onion , garlic.

   >> more garlic powder .

   >> and black pepper this time.

   >> so we'll go ahead and mix it up.

   >> i think it's better to do it with our hands.

   >> get your hands dirty and get the towels to wipe them down.

   >> want to help me mix the meatball.

   >> and then you actually have the little scooper that you can then. we'll pretend it's really mixed well, and you'll put it right into the soup mix.

   >> yes.

   >> and just let it cook in there.

   >> so you just go ahead and drop it in there, a whole batch.

   >> slide the meatballs in. bring it to a boil and let it cook for five minutes.

   >> this is your soup.

   >> if you want to go ahead and crumple it inside the suit.

   >> i'm eating, so that's okay.

   >> great.

   >> i think it's nice to eat it with a green salad . makes a nice meal. kids love it. it 's wonderful .

   >> thanks so much. next time my kids are sick, that's what they are having.

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