Transylvanian meatball ciorbă with sour cream and tarragon

Ingredients

• 250 g minced meat, a mix of beef and pork
• 65 g white rice, already cooked and cooled (from about 25 g raw rice)
• 30 g onion, finely grated, for the meatballs
• 25 g beaten egg (about half an egg)
• 5 g chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper, for the meatballs
• 75 g onion, for the soup
• 100 g carrot
• 35 g parsley root
• 30 g parsnip
• 50 g celeriac
• 50 g bell pepper
• 10 g oil
• 1.2 l water or bone broth, without going above the MAX mark
• 125 g sour cream, at least 20% fat
• 1 egg yolk
• 8 g tarragon pickled in vinegar
• 1–2 tbsp vinegar from the pickled tarragon, to taste
• 5 g fresh parsley
• Salt, to taste

How to make it

1. Cook 25 g raw rice in advance until tender; drain and let it cool. For the meatballs, mix 250 g minced meat with 65 g cooked rice, 30 g grated onion, 25 g beaten egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Shape 12–14 balls and arrange them in a single layer in the Varoma dish and on the Varoma tray, leaving the steam vents free.
2. Put the 75 g onion for the soup into the mixing bowl: 4 sec / speed 5. Add the oil: 4 min / 120°C / speed 1.
3. Add the carrot, celeriac, parsnip, parsley root and bell pepper, diced by hand. Pour in 1.2 l water or broth and a little salt. Do not go above the MAX mark.
4. Put the Varoma with the meatballs in position on top of the mixing bowl and cook 35 min / Varoma / speed 1. Check that the meatballs are cooked through to the centre and the rice is tender. If needed, cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the broth and vegetables to a large pot and add the steamed meatballs. In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream with the egg yolk and gradually thin it with a few ladlefuls of the hot soup.
6. With the heat off, stir the sour cream mixture into the pot. Add the tarragon, the tarragon vinegar and the parsley. Taste, adjust the salt and serve without bringing it back to the boil.