Yiayia's Meatball Stew with Artichokes
I’ve been dreaming about this stew since I had it last year. I had spent an entire day at the airport in Greece, trying to get on my flight back to New York City. The flight kept getting delayed and finally was canceled in the evening. I headed back to my grandma’s house and she had just finished cooking this meatball stew. I was starving and it felt like the most comforting meal one could have. The next time I visited my yiayia we made the stew together and I’m so glad I got to learn her technique. Cooking together creates so many special memories for me that I know I will treasure forever. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.
Makes6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 leek (white and light green part), chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 red cubanelle or bell pepper, chopped
- 8 artichoke bottoms, cut in half (see Nedi’s Tips)
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped
- 2 quarts (1.9 L) low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups (480 ml) hot water
- 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) ground beef
- 1/2 cup (90 g) dry chickpea rice or regular dry rice (see Nedi’s Tips)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- Sea salt to taste
- 1/2 cup (75 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 3 tablespoons (12 g) chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the leek, onion, carrot and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes, until tender. Add the artichoke bottoms and potato and sauté for another 2 minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth and water.
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In a large bowl, add the ground beef, chickpea rice, cumin, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, oregano, chili flakes and salt. Mix well and form small meatballs, about 1 tablespoon (15 g) each. Spread the flour on a plate and lightly roll each meatball in the flour to prevent them from falling apart.
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Gently toss the meatballs into the stew. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium. Cook for an hour, lightly covered. Garnish with the chopped parsley at the end and turn off the heat. Serve while hot and enjoy!
Nedi’s Tips
Artichoke bottoms can be purchased in cans from Amazon. I always have my pantry stocked with them. They are packed with fiber and nutrients and make a great low-carb substitute for potatoes. If you can’t find artichoke bottoms, one or two additional russet potatoes can be used instead.
Chickpea rice can be found from the brand Banza. I like to use it as it has more protein and fiber than regular rice.
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