Rice Patties with homemade chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade chicken stock ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
2. 2
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3. 3
   Strain the stock.

   Colander

For the Meatball mix

1. 4
   Soak the rice 30 minutes in cold water and drain well.

   Bowl
2. 5
   Mix the ground meat with the onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, cinnamon, rice, salt and black pepper until evenly combined.
3. 6
   With wet hands, shape patties the size of a large walnut, about 24 patties.

   💡Wet hands don't stick to the mixture, and the patties come out smooth and even.
4. 7
   Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, cumin and paprika with the salt and bring to a boil.

   StoveLarge pot
5. 8
   Combine the meatballs and the sauce in the pot. Turn down the heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked and the sauce thickens.

   StovePotLid

   💡Drop the meatballs into boiling sauce and don't stir at first: that way they firm up and keep their shape.
6. 9
   Serve hot with bread.