The Devil's Wedding Soup

When cooking I like to consult a recipe for a particular dish and then run with it a bit. Italian Wedding Soup is a classic, but there are as many versions of this soup as there are Italian mothers. This is my take on the soup.  Bear in mind I cook to taste, so adjust any amounts to your druthers. If cooking this soup for little girls use sweet Italian sausage v. hot, omit the jalapeños, and forget the dried crushed red peppers.

My wife suffers from sinus infections form time to time and I have come up with several soups to help remedy the problem. Chicken soup may be good for the soul, but this one will clear the sinuses in a big hurry. I did start with a classic mirepoix, but took a page out of the creole's book and added green peppers, and dipped South of the border and added jalapeño slices.

1    Small Carrot thinly sliced

¼ cup diced green bell pepper

1/4cup diced onion

2 Stalks celery thinly sliced

1Lbs Italian sausage rolled into small balls

2 quarts chicken stock

1/4cup dry white wine

¼ cup Orzo pasta

6-8 slices of nacho style jalapeño

3Tbs Olive Oil

6 leaves of fresh basil

1TBS dried Mediterranean oregano

1tsp Dried crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Pour one tablespoon of oil in the bottom of the soup pot, add the mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, jalapeño slices), and add a big pinch of kosher salt, some dried red pepper flakes, and fresh ground pepper. For the faint of heart, omit the crushed pepper flakes and jalapeños and live with the plugged sinuses. Sweat this, stirring occasionally on low heat.  Meanwhile add the remaining oil to a non-stick fry pan and brown up the meat balls.

When you can smell the delightful mixture in the soup pot, add the stock, wine, basil, oregano, and orzo. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Add the meatballs and allow to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.  Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.

Orzo is pasta that resembles rice, though in fact Orzo is Italian for Barley – go figure.  If the sinuses are very bad, a shot of Cholula hot sauce is recommended. As some doctor some where must have once said, “take one bowl every 8 hours and call me in the morning.”