Spring Vegetable and Meatball Soup

Ingredients
- 500g lean pork mince
- 1 Tbsp chopped chives, plus extra, to serve
- 1 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1L chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup macaroni
- 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 medium courgette, finely chopped
- 200g broccoli, florets cut, stems peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 crusty bread rolls, to serve
Method
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1. Combine mince and chives in a medium-sized bowl. Shape tablespoons of mixture into balls.
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2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add leek and garlic and cook, stirring for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
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3. Add stock and water. Bring to the boil and add meatballs and pasta. Turn the heat down and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
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4. Add carrot, courgette and broccoli to pan. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
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5. Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle with extra chives and serve with crusty bread on the side.
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Tip: To make this gluten free, replace the macaroni with gluten free pasta.