Chicken and Almond Meatballs in White Gazpacho
White gazpacho is a soup from the time long before there were tomatoes in Spain for making chilled red gazpacho, a familiar and beloved paean to summer. But there were almonds, garlic, chickens, and bread. White gazpacho is essentially a mild chicken soup made forceful, filling, and hearty with a garlic-almond mayonnaise and bread soaked in the broth. To make it more sumptuous, I add chicken and almond meatballs, echoing those same ancient ingredients. It is ultrarich. A bowlful with a side dish of sturdy-leaf salad garnished with orange slices suffices for a meal. A tip: The recipe calls for a total of 3/4 cup slivered blanched almonds, divided into 1/4 cup portions for three different steps. To facilitate the division, toast the whole amount of almonds in a microwave or toaster oven until the nuts begin to brown and have a toasty smell, 5 to 6 minutes, depending on how fresh they are. Set aside 1/4 cup of the toasted slivers for garnishing the soup. Pulverize the remaining 1/2 cup in a food processor until reduced to a paste. Divide the paste into two parts, one for the sausage, one for the soup.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Meatballs
Gazpacho
Preparation
Step 1
To make the meatballs, place all the ingredients in a medium bowl and knead with your hands until thoroughly blended. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to several hours, to chill and firm the mixture. Form into 1-inch balls and place on a plate. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 2
To make the gazpacho, place the almonds, garlic, and egg yolks in a food processor and process until blended. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil to make a thick emulsion. Reserve the almond-garlic-yolk mixture in the processor.
Step 3
In a large saucepan, combine the broth, water, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the meatballs and simmer briskly until they rise to the top and are firm, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside in a warm place.
Step 4
With the food processor running, slowly pour 2 to 3 cups of the broth into the almond-garlic egg mixture, adding as much as you can before it spills out the top. Transfer the contents of the food processor to the saucepan with the remaining broth. Return the meatballs to the broth and heat over medium-low just until beginning to steam. Do not allow the soup to boil.
Step 5
To serve, divide the bread chunks among 4 individual bowls. Ladle the soup and meatballs into the bowls, and top each bowl with the toasted almonds. Serve “piping warm.”
