Veal Dumplings in Broth with Escarole

This is from Rachael Ray’s My Year in Meals cookbook.  This is also very healthy and quite low in calories.  Even though she says serves 4.  Jim could only eat 2 servings.  It was very easy except that escarole is foreign to our local markets.  I substituted kale.

Ingredients:

2 slices good-Quality white bread (I used rye)  

1 C whole milk (I used skim)

1 ¼ # ground veal (I had to grind it in the food processor)

Freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and pepper

10-12 medium sage leaves, very thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/3 C gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1/3 C Parmigiano cheese

1 egg lightly beaten

EVOO for drizzling

8 C chicken stock

1 head escarole, cleaned and chopped into 2” pieces (I bought a bag of chopped kale)

4 oz. extra-wide egg noodles (I had 4 oz. shell pastas left over and used them)

Grated lemon zest (I forgot)

Directions:

1.       Soak the bread in the milk to soften. 

2.       Place the veal in a bowl and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Then add the sage, garlic, cheeses, and egg. 

3.       Squeeze the liquid from the bread and crumble into fine crumbs between your fingertips as you add it to the veal mixture.  Drizzle in a little EVOO and mix well to combine. 

4.       Use a 2 oz. ice cream scoop and form about 20 meatballs.  Set them on a plate.

5.       In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock and 3 C of water and bring to a low boil.

6.       Add the meatballs and cook for 10 minutes.  (As I was using pasta instead of egg noodles, I also put the pasta in at this time.)

7.       Wilt in the escarole (kale) for about 2 minutes. 

8.       RR cooks the noodles separately and adds to the mixture.  I did it all in one pot. 

This meal was very good.  We have leftovers and I am sure it will even be better the second time around.