Armenian Kololak Soup

Cover the beef bones with 2 L cold water, add 1 onion and black pepper, bring to a boil, skim off the foam and simmer covered over low heat for 1.5 hours. Strain the broth.

Cook the rice until tender, drain and cool. Finely chop 2 onions and sauté them in butter until golden. Mix half of the onion with the rice and half of the parsley and tarragon, then season with salt.

Pass the beef through a meat grinder twice. Add the semolina, eggs, salt and black pepper, mix and knead the mince for 10–15 minutes until it becomes smooth and sticky.

Shape the mince into 10 patties about the size of your palm. Place the rice filling in the center of each, bring the edges together and roll into large meatballs about the size of a chicken egg. Chill them in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Bring the strained broth to a boil. Peel the potatoes, cut into large chunks and cook in the broth for 10 minutes.

Add the tomato paste to the remaining sautéed onion, heat through for 1 minute and transfer this mixture into the pot.

Carefully lower the meatballs into the boiling soup, bring back to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until they float to the surface and the potatoes are tender. Toward the end, add the remaining parsley and tarragon, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the kololak from the heat, let it rest for 10 minutes and serve hot.