Gingered-Turkey Meatball Soup | Everyday Dorie

WORKING AHEAD: You can make the meatballs ahead. Uncooked, they can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Once cooked, you can refrigerate them in some broth for up to 4 days or freeze them in an airtight bag for up to
2 months. The broth can be made up to 4 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

TO MAKE THE MEATBALLS: Put the egg in a large bowl and stir with a fork to break it up. Add all the remaining ingredients except the turkey and broth and lightly stir, toss and mix to blend. Add the meat and, using the fork and then your fingers, turn and mix — again, go easy — until blended.

Using a medium cookie scoop (one with a capacity of about 11⁄2 tablespoons) or a tablespoon, scoop out meat- balls (you’ll get 24 to 30), then roll them between your palms to round them. (At this point, you can cover the meatballs and refrigerate them for up to 6 hours, or freeze them on a lined baking sheet until they’re solid, then pack them in an airtight bag.)

Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot, then lower the heat so that it simmers.

Drop the meatballs into the broth and, keeping it at
a light, steady simmer, poach them, turning them over once, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. You’ll probably want to do this in batches. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a large bowl. The broth will be a little murky. If you’d like it to be clearer, line a strainer with dampened cheesecloth (or a triple layer of dampened paper towels) and pour the broth through it into a bowl; rinse out the pot. (You can put the meatballs in a container and freeze them for up to 2 months. Or cover with broth and refrigerate for up to 4 days; refrigerate the remainder of the broth separately.)

TO MAKE THE SOUP: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the rice noodles and cook for 4 minutes, then drain and transfer the noodles to a large bowl. Cover with cold water, toss in a few ice cubes and set aside until needed.

Bring the broth to a boil in the pot, then lower the heat so that it simmers. If your meatballs have been frozen, drop them into the broth and cook for 10 minutes; if chilled, cook for about 5 minutes; and if just made, sim- ply drop them in. Add the vegetables to the pot and sim- mer for about 5 minutes. (If you’re using carrots, they’ll remain slightly firm.) Drain the noodles, add them to the pot and cook until hot — they’ll heat very quickly. Taste for salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup, noodles and meatballs into deep bowls, dividing them equally. Sprinkle over the herbs and serve with the soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and Sriracha. Encourage everyone to season to taste.

STORING: Once you’ve loaded the soup with all its add-ins, it is best served that day.

CHOICES: With these meatballs in the freezer, I feel like I’m ready for anything. They’re great with pasta, stirred into a stewy bean dish, served as the main event with a side of vegetables or sliced and laid out on a roll (think sub or grinder, depending on where you live) and slathered with Sriracha and mayo — don’t forget crisp lettuce.