Beef Meatball Soup

This is not a traditional Filipino dish—I was inspired by Mexican sopa de albóndigas, which features small but hearty meatballs from a recipe with roots in sixth-century Spain, then under Islamic rule; the name comes from the Arabic al-bunduq, or hazelnut, a hint at the meatballs’ size. Their Filipino counterpart, bola-bola, are good eaten straight, but if you have leftover meatballs on hand, try simmering them in this light, easy soup, with a last, bracing touch of lemon and lush drops of