Bill and Kathy's Wedding Soup
Serves a small crowd

6 cups chicken stock
2 cups water

1 pound ground turkey or chicken
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1 egg
1/4 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup small pearl tapioca
2 fresh ears of corn, cleaned and kernels cut off of cob (or 1 1/2 c. frozen corn)
1 bunch green onions, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced very thin
1 pound fresh spinach washed and coarsely chopped

2 Tablespoons sherry
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Place water and stock in large pot, bring to boil.

2. Mix together: ground turkey, onion powder, tarragon, egg, cheese and bread crumbs.

3. Form meat mixture into small, marble sized balls and drop each one into the boiling stock.

4. After the meat balls have all been dropped into the boiling stock, add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and then let simmer for about twelve minutes.

5. Add sherry, and salt and pepper to taste and turn off heat. Cover and let stand on the stove for at least fifteen minutes before serving.

 

Presentation:

Serve in a cup as the soup course for a special feast, or in a large bowl as a wonderful, complete lunch. In either case, a selection of breads and muffins is the perfect accompaniment.

Chef says:

When my friend and colleague William Caballero of the Pittsburgh Symphony married cellist Kathleen Melucci, I was honored to be invited to help with the wedding music. We settled on a French horn ensemble of eight players. Made up of friends and students of Bill's (including members of the Boston Symphony, the Arizona Opera Orchestra, and the Montreal Symphony) the ensemble performed in Pittsburgh's beautiful old Sacred Heart Church in selections from Handel's "Water Music," Telemann's "Tafelmusik," and "The Evening Prayer" from the opera "Hansel and Gretel." The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and the sound of the horns in that magnificent cathedral was exquisite. The weekend of accompanying parties was fun too!

This, as best I have been able to recreate it in my kitchen, is the soup that was served at the wedding reception. As you can probably guess, it is a fairly "busy" soup - in this case, meaning lots of different tastes and textures in a simple broth. It keeps well in the refrigerator, and tastes just as good (maybe better!) the day after it is made.