Za'atar Meatballs and Endive in Lemony Broth

Every week, Caroline Wright creates simple, civilized recipes for Food52 that feed four -- for under $20, in under 20 minutes.

Today: A simple, flavorful soup to calm the holiday madness.

Most meatballs from my kitchen come together in the manner of an improvised painting -- a few dashes here, and a fair bit of waiting to add character. These meatballs, however, are the equivalent of a quick sketch, tossed together quickly out of both the needs to be serviceable and playful at the same time. The Middle Eastern flavors are some of my favorites already, but brought together with pork in a flavorful broth with some wilted greens, they liven up the simplest of dinners. 

Za'atar Meatballs and Endive in Lemony Broth

2 quarts chicken broth
1 pound ground pork
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon ground sumac, optional
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 medium head curly endive
Warmed pita bread for serving 

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

As a freelance food writer and cook, I first wrote this style of recipe as a column on my blog, The Wright Recipes, as an excuse to cook good food for my friends in a quick and simple way. 

Twenty-Dollar, Twenty-Minute™ Meals grew into a cookbook that was published by Workman in May 2013. The recipes found here are original, made especially for Food52 to once again celebrate simple food with friends.

Photo by Caroline Wright