My Substitute for the Sun

I know April showers bring May flowers, but the trees outside my window are already blossoming. I don’t need any more rain, not after the last wonderfully warm weekend!

But since the weatherman predicted rain, it must come true. And when the temperatures drop and the skies fall, I crave soup. Something warm and filling to thaw my toes and unfreeze my fingers.

This time, I chose to add a little kick to the pot with a bit of Dijon mustard. I’m definitely not restricting this condiment to sandwiches and burgers anymore… You can’t see the characteristic yellow color, but it results in a delicious surprise when you bite into the mini-meatballs!

Dijon Pork Soup

serves 2

If you double the recipe and save the leftovers, the Dijon seeps out into the broth and gives every spoonful that characteristic mustard taste. I actually preferred this slightly more, so I intentionally let the soup sit in the fridge overnight and reheated it the next night!

½ of a large onion, thinly sliced

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 c. of your favorite broth

½ lb. ground pork

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2-3 large handfuls of baby spinach

In a medium pot, heat a tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it turns translucent, about 2-4 min. Turn the heat down to medium-low and continue cooking until the onion begins to turn golden, about 5-7 min more. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30-60 sec, until you can smell the garlic. Add the broth and reduce to a simmer. While the aromatics and broth simmer, mix the pork, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Dijon in a medium bowl. Roll the seasoned pork into tiny balls, about ½-inch in diameter, and place the mini-meatballs onto tin foil. Once all of the pork has been shaped, add the mini-meatballs to the pot and let them cook for 3 min. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts. Serve hot.