Ingredients
1/2 lb. chicken hearts
1/4 c. cooked soybeans
1 clove garlic, grated
2 shishito peppers, diced
1/4 c. parsley leaves
1/4 c. walnuts
1 tsp. gochugaru
1/2 tsp. mushroom powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 c. diced cauliflower stems or bite-sized florets
1 c. packed chopped kale
1/2 c. soybeans
8 shishito peppers, sliced
1 tsp. steak seasoning
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
5 c. homemade bone broth or low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. citrus herb seasoning blend
1/8 tsp. MSG (optional)
Freshly chopped parsley, for serving
Preparation
Step 1Make the meatballs: In a food processor, combine all ingredients and pulse until a mostly smooth paste forms. Transfer to a large bowl and let chill in the refrigerator.Step 2Make the soup: In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add cauliflower, kale, soybeans, and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is knife-tender. Add steak seasoning, pepper, white pepper, and stir to evenly distribute. Add broth, herb seasoning, and MSG (if using) to a simmer. Let cook 10 minutes to reduce slightly.Step 3Using two small spoons, scoop out meatballs and drop them directly into the simmering broth. Let simmer until meatballs are fully cooked, about 10 minutes.Step 4Garnish with parsley before serving.
To really turn the flavor up to 11, I cooked these chicken heart meatballs in homemade pork bone broth, which you can see how I made in the budget eats challenge video above. In place of breadcrumbs, these meatballs are precariously bound with finely ground walnuts and soybeans. Were they good? Aaron thought so. He gave these the highest score out of all nine meals I’d made on this budget. I think it’s safe to say you should give these a try if you try any recipe from this challenge at all! As with all my recipes from these budget eats challenges, all ingredients can be easily swapped for similar ones. Don’t have shishito peppers? Use bell peppers. No soybeans? How about black beans? No walnuts? Pecans! No gochugaru? Crushed red pepper flakes will be great. If you’ve tried different combos, leave a comment and let us know down below how you liked it!
