Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

100 g/ 3.5 oz bacon

1 medium onion

1 large carrot

2-3 celery stalks, depending on size

1 small leek

1 small red bell pepper

½ tablespoon sweet paprika powder

1.5 liter/ 50.7 fl.oz/ 6 ½ cups chicken stock

1 can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon dried thyme

250 g/ 8.8 oz white cabbage

1 can black beans

1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

fine sea salt and pepper

500 g/ 1.1 lbs lean ground beef (meatballs)

1 small onion (meatballs)

1 large garlic clove (meatballs)

1 egg (meatballs)

4 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs (meatballs)

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (meatballs)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt (meatballs)

generously freshly ground black pepper (meatballs)

Directions:

1. Cut the bacon into small cubes. Chop the onion finely. Set both aside in a small bowl. Chop the carrot, celery stalks or celeriac, leek, and pepper into small cubes. Set aside in another bowl. Slice the cabbage very finely or chop it into small pieces. Set aside in another bowl.

2. Meatballs: Chop the onion very finely. Combine the ground beef with the onion, grated garlic clove, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix very well with your hands. Form the balls, about 30-35 walnut-sized meatballs. Set aside.

3. Soup: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the bacon and the onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, leek, and pepper, stir well and saute, stirring often, for about 5 more minutes. Add sweet paprika to the vegetables, stir well for one minute. Add the stock, tomatoes, sugar, thyme, one teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add cabbage and bring to a boil again. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the meatballs and drained black beans and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs cooked through. Add 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and more salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining red wine vinegar according to your taste.

Bon Appetit!