By Chris Morocco, Bon Appétit
My grandma used to make a version of this dish using pork and showers of Parmesan. I have updated it to include ground chicken and miso for a lighter, late-summer dish with equally deep flavor, but feel free to use whatever ground meat you prefer. Gently poaching the meatballs is not only faster than roasting, but means none of their flavor is lost to a baking sheet.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground chicken, preferably dark meat
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp. red or white miso
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Broth and Assembly
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots or 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. red or white miso
- 12 oz. green beans or other pole beans, trimmed, sliced into 2–3" lengths
- Kosher salt
- Torn basil leaves (for serving; optional)
Recipe Preparation
Meatballs
- Combine chicken, scallions, egg, miso, salt, and several grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Mix vigorously with a fork until combined (it will seem a bit wet at first, so keep at it) and just beginning to feel slightly sticky; set aside.
Broth and Assembly
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and just beginning to turn golden around edges, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color and beginning to sizzle in fat, about 2 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes, miso, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer, stirring vigorously and mashing miso against side of pot to dissolve, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst open, (it’s okay to help them along with a spoon), about 5 minutes.
- Add green beans to saucepan and cook until tender, 6–8 minutes. Using 2 spoons, drop gumball-size balls of reserved meat mixture into simmering broth. Once all of the meatballs have been added, cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.
- Ladle meatballs, vegetables, and broth into bowls and top with basil if desired.
