Tuck into this delicious soup with a lightness and freshness that is perfect, even for the warmer weather.

Recipe & Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Spring vegetable soup with chicken and herb meatballs
serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, finely chopped (trimmings reserved for stock)
⅓ cup risoni
1 bunch broccolini, cut into 1cm lengths
2 cups peas
zest and juice from 1 lemon
dill leaves to garnish (4 stems reserved for stock)
salt and cracked black pepper

for stock
1 chicken carcass, roughly chopped
1 onion, halved
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery stick
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp black peppercorns

for meatballs
300g chicken mince
½ onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
¾ cup breadcrumbs
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cracked black pepper
1 tbsp chopped dill

Mix together the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl, cover and set aside in the refrigerator.  Place the chicken bones into a large saucepan, add 2 1/2 litres of water, bring to the boil, skimming off any scum that surfaces. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 hours. Strain and discard the solids.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and leek and saute until softened. Add stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, roll meatballs into bite-sized portions. Simmer meatballs in soup for 5 minutes. Add risoni and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add broccolini and peas and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with lemon zest and dill leaves.