Kololak | Armenian-Style Large Meatballs Simmered in Broth

Finely grate the onion and squeeze it through cheesecloth into a bowl; discard the pulp. Onion pieces would interfere with the meatballs’ smooth texture, so use only the juice in the mixture.

Put the cold beef, salt, and black pepper in a food processor and process for 1 minute. Add the eggs, onion juice, and flour. With the processor running, pour in the cold milk in a thin stream, then process for 4 minutes more, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. The mixture should turn pale pink, glossy, and stretchy when pulled with a spoon. If you do not have a processor, knead it in a deep bowl with wet hands for 15 minutes, striking it against the bottom of the bowl as you work. Cover and refrigerate the mixture.

Divide the chilled mixture into 12 equal portions, about 100 g each. Wet your palms with cold water and roll each portion into a smooth ball 6 cm across, with no cracks on the surface. Any cracks can open up as the meatballs simmer.

Bring the broth to a boil in a wide pot with the salt and bay leaf, then lower the heat until only an occasional bubble breaks the surface. A rolling boil can break apart the large meatballs.

Lower the meatballs into the broth one at a time with a ladle, keeping them from touching. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, turning them one time with the spoon at the 12-minute mark. Skim off any foam from the surface. The meatballs will puff slightly and rise as they cook. Insert a thermometer into the center of the largest meatball; ground beef is safe at 71°C / 160°F.

Melt the butter in a small skillet until foaming. Place two meatballs in each bowl, ladle hot broth over them, drizzle with the butter, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.