Pumpkin Soup with Kale and Kafta

by Christopher Young

This soup is perfect for a cool autumn day. Whether inside by the fireplace, outside on the porch, or at the dinner table together, this soup, inspired by the Middle East, is sure to warm you from your head to your toes.

For the soup

Ingredients

2 medium yellow onions, diced

4 ribs of celery, diced

1 medium pumpkin, cleaned, peeled, and cut into 2-3 inch pieces

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

1 gallon chicken stock (homemade or store-bought, although I make mine at home)

1 batch of Kafta [Kaaf-tuh] (see following recipe)

1-2 heads of kale, cleaned and chopped into 2 inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cayenne to taste

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions

1: Saute the onions and celery until translucent. (You can do this on any heat, although medium will get them cooked enough without burning them.)

2: Add the garlic and the pumpkin. Continue to saute for 5 minutes.

3: Cover with the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

4: Season with salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, cumin, and cayenne. Cook until pumpkin is soft, about 25 to 30 minutes.

5: Puree the pumpkin with an immersion blender or a regular blender (or food processor). Please note: make sure that your blender or food processor can be used with hot liquids. Some blenders require that the soup be must be totally cooled before blending.

6: Return the soup to the pot and add the lamb meatballs and kale and simmer on medium-low until the meatballs are fully cooked and the kale is softened, about 25 minutes.

7: Finished! Enjoy! (Don’t forget to bless it!)

For the Kafta (Lamb)

Ingredients

2 pounds ground lamb (beef ground round can be substituted)

1 large sweet yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, well-crushed with a mortar and pestle (or just finely minced)

6 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons of kosher salt

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

Instructions

1: Mix all ingredients together.

2: Roll into meatballs and cook until brown in a hot skillet. Set aside until ready for use in soup.