Chef Monsta: I cook, therefore I blog

I ate this delicious and hearty soup at Mordoch in Jerusalem in January and have found the recipe! Here it is, from the book “The Foods of Israel Today” by Joan Nathan. It is a great book, I highly recommend getting it on Amazon or at your local library.

Kubbeh Soup from Mordoch

Yield: 8-10
12 cups chicken broth
2 celery stalks with leaves, cut into 2 inch chunks
5 small zucchini, cut into 2 inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of 2 lemons
12 kubbeh
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil/dill

- In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil
- Add the celery, zucchini, salt and pepper, lemon juice, and kubbeh. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until the kubbeh are soft.
- Add the basil or dill and adjust the seasonings of the soup, adding more lemon juice if needed.
- Simmer a few minutes more and serve immediately.

Kubbeh (meat dumplings):
2 cups bulgur
2 cups semolina
1 tsp salt
½ medium onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp olive oil
½ lb chopped beef
2 tbsp pine nut
¼ tsp allspice
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Soak the bulgur in warm water to cover for about an hour
- Squeeze the bulgur dry and mix with the semolina and salt, kneading well with your hands, adding water as necessary to form a dough.
- Sauté the onions in the oil until translucent, then add the beef. Sauté about 5 minutes, breaking up the meat until it is cooked through. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the pine nuts, allspice, and chopped parsley.
- Divide the dough into 12 rounds about 2 ½ inches across. Dip your hands in cold water and tunnel out the center. Insert a tsp of the meat mixture into the hole and form a round ball. Refrigerate for an hour.

Check out my OTHER Kubbeh Soup Recipe, here!