Sundays with Marlena Spieler- Fragrant Beetroot Vegetable Soup with Spiced Lamb Kubbeh

Click to enlarge photos..in order to smell it of course!




This soup and lamb "dumpling" dish is one of the best things I've ever tasted. It involves some steps and work but let me tell you....so worth it! I took lots of pictures too. Here goes:

Ingredients for the soup: serves 6 - 8

1 tsp canola oil (she used veggie oil)
1/2 finely chopped medium-sized onion
5 minced garlic cloves
1 carrot, medium dice
2 medium zucchini, med dice
1/2 celery stalk, finely diced
4 cardamom pods..throw em in whole (you can take them later....or not)
1/2 tsp of curry powder
2 med. beets, roasted-peeled-chopped med and save juice (you can buy vacuum packed beetroots)
5 cups of chicken stock (or veggie stock)
1 14oz. can of chopped tomatoes ( I like Glen Muir fire roasted)
4 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar (could use rice vinegar) upon serving

Put the oil in the pot you'll make the soup in and have heat on med high..throw in the onions until they get soft, then throw in HALF of the garlic but don't let it burn. Throw in all of the veggies EXCEPT the beets. Stir and let them meld together but not until they are limp. Nobody likes a limp anything. Go ahead and throw in the spices too. After a few minutes pour in the broth, one chopped beet, canned tomatoes, fresh cilantro and the sugar. Bring to the boil then reduce for about 20 minutes. After, toss in the remaining chopped beets/and juice and remainder of garlic. Set aside...you may have to re-heat to serve.

Ingredients for the Ginger/Cilantro condiment: ( I LOVE THIS STUFF)

3 -4 garlic cloves chopped roughly (goes in food processor so whatever)
About 1 - 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh ginger...peel first
1-4 mild fresh chilies (I used one large poblano and 1/2 jalapeno, seed removed)
a large handful of fresh roughly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil (slowly pour in as processor is on until a paste forms)

[you can spread this on a sandwich, serve with meatballs, make pasta and throw some in there while the pasta is hot with a little more olive oil and sprinkle cilantro or parsley over the top, or dip pita in it, or serve over dumplings]

Put the garlic, chillies, and ginger in the food processor and give it a whirl till blended. Add the cilantro, vinegar, salt and then the oil and whirl around till it is a paste-like consistency. Take it out and set aside. Wash the food processsor cause you are using it again...you could let your dog or cat lick it clean..if they like spicy. No.


Ingredients for the spiced lamb and kubbeh dough:

2 large pinches of saffron threads (steep in a little hot water for about 20 minutes..or more. you won't use the threads..just the "saffron tea")
1 tablespoon canola oil
One large chopped onion.small chop
9-12 oz. of lean ground lamb
1 teaspoon vinegar (rice, or white wine, or apple cider)
a handful of fresh mint (rough chop)
About one cup all purpose flour..or a little more
2 pinches of salt
a shake or two of allspice
2 tsp ground turmeric (turns dough a lovely color)

Heat oil in a smallish not stick pan and toss the onion in there till is is soft. Then, put the onion and saffron "tea" in the food processor and hit give it a few turns. Add the lamb, seasoning, and blend it all. It will look like a sticky glop sort of. Add the vinegar and mint and CHILL (not you..the mixture).

The kubbeh dough-I used my kitchen aid pasta attachments (thank you East Bay).

Put the flour, salt, and turmeric in the mixer bowl. You could clean that processor again and use the dough attachment to make the dough. Blend for a few seconds. On low, with the dough hook or the paddle, slowly add the water while mixing. The dough will be a bit sticky.,, it's a theme. Knead the dough on a well-floured surface. Put it in a plastic bag and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. (you could do it ahead and put in fridge..then bring it out and let it get warm).

I put the dough through my pasta attachment until it was fairly thin and then layed it on my floured surface... (Thanks husband, for letting me use your bread kneading board) and I added teaspoons of the lamb mixture a few inches apart. Put the other sheet of dough on top and cut a round with my pizza cutter. Wet the edges with water and seal each one.. and then poached in boiling salted water for about 4 minutes. This goes in the soup. Done!

Okay..got all that? This recipe took me 3 hours..from start to slurping time. If I'd done the prep for the veggies the day before, it would have been a snap. You cold even make the lamb mix the day before..and even the condiment paste! Hell, the dough too. Was I smart enough to do that? I'll cook smarter next time. BE SURE to go on over and check out Eileen and Shankari's recipes by Marlena Spieler. Thanks for stopping by! We will be posting on Wednesdays too until Hanukkah...and then we'll be posting Marlena's on Sunday and our own posts Wednesday's thru Saturday's. You can find the book we are blogging about Here.