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One minute I’m swinging my feet in my Paris office, the next I’ve been offered a 3-week assignment in Amman, Jordan.  I booked my tickets the same day and flew in to Queen Alia airport last week. I hadn’t been to Jordan since 1987 when we drove as a family across the Allenby Bridge from Jericho to make our way down the King’s Highway to Petra.  This trip I had Jerash on my mind–a spectacularly intact Roman city that straddled a river and sat on top of Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze age and Greek civilizations, then came into its own under Roman rule.  Come the weekend, I jumped on a public bus at Abdali station and drove straight back in time for 2000 years.  You’re looking at Temple of Zeus remains through an arch of the magnificent South Amphitheater, which sat over 3000 people.  Five hours of time immersion later, I was ready to eat and headed to the open air Royal Jordanian Restaurant on the southern edge of the city. “Please help yourself to our buffet,” Suleyman said.  “Ah, but I’d really just like to refresh myself with soup and water.”  “Soup?  We don’t have soup–only in winter.”  “Oh dear, no soup?  No soup at all?” “Wait,” he said.  “Sit.  Be comfortable.”  And in no time at all, he miraculously produced a bowl of Hisaa al tomatem, a light tomato soup stuffed with small spicy lamb meatballs.  You can see how it sparkles.  It’s easy and fast to make–why don’t you make some for lunch today?

Hisaa al tomatem (for 6)

1 lb. ground lamb or beef

2 Tablespoons minced parsley

2 Tablespoons minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon allspice

2 Tablespoons butter

1 pound crushed tomatoes (canned are fine)

4 cups light beef stock

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon allspice

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:  serve lemon slices on the side

Lightly knead the minced parsley and onion, the allspice and salt into the ground beef and shape into small balls.  Fry in butter over medium heat for 5 minutes, then pour in the tomatoes and stock.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the cooked rice and simmer another 15 minutes.  Stir in the allspice, salt and pepper to taste, and chopped parsley, cover, and cook 5 more minutes.  Ladle into bowls and service with lemon slices on the side.