Velvet Squash & Carrot Soup with Curried Matzo Balls

Velvet Squash & Carrot Soup with Curried Matzo Balls
Adapted from 1,000 Jewish Recipes

Printable Recipe

Curried Matzo Balls
Prep time: 10 minutes
Fridge time: 20 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes

Velvet Squash & Carrot Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients: Curried Matzo Balls
¼ cup Italian/flat leaf parsley leaves, packed & finely chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup matzo meal (I used whole grain and it made them very “meaty” in texture and flavor)
2 tbsp water

Soup:
1-2 tbsp olive oil
4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well & thinly sliced across
1 ¼ lb/650g butternut squash, peeled, seeded and then diced small
½ lb carrots, diced
5 ¼ cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf

Directions
Matzo balls:
1. In a bowl, combine the beaten eggs, oil, curry powder & salt. Lightly beat until blended. Add matzo meal and beat, mixing thoroughly. Add the water and chopped parsley, combine and cover the bowl. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. With wet hands, take 1 tsp of the mixture and form into a small ball, rolling in your hands. (this recipe will make about 16 mini matzo balls). Set the balls on a plate and once they are all formed, gently drop them into the water. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

You can keep them in their hot cooking liquid until it’s time to serve the soup or, if like me you are not serving the day you make the soup….use a slotted spoon to take the matzo balls out of their cooking water and store in a zip lock baggie in the fridge until you are ready to use.

Soup:
1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add leeks, salt & pepper and cook over medium low for about 10 minutes or until tender. Add the squash, carrots and 4 cups of broth with salt & pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

2. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

3. Blend the vegetables – I use an immersion blender…much easier to clean than a blender, plus no mess and even consistency. If the soup is too thick, add a little more broth.

To serve, place 4 mini curried matzo balls in a bowl and add the soup.