MATZO BALL MINESTRONE

Matzo Ball Minestrone image

Provided by Robert Irvine : Food Network

Time 3h5m

Yield Ten 12-ounce servings

Number Of Ingredients 38

Ingredients

4 slices white bread, cubed
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
12 ounces chicken sausage, casing removed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary needles, chopped
2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup schmaltz (rendered chicken fat)
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup matzo meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 gallon plus 1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups diced zucchini
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup soaked and cooked cannellini beans
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces fresh basil leaves
1 ounce pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 bulb garlic, chopped
3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 crostini, for serving

Steps:

For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the bread and the milk and work with your hands until the mixture is a wet paste. Add the ground chicken, sausage, Parmesan, onion, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, rosemary and eggs, and mix well. Make a test patty, cook and taste. Sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper. Form 1-ounce meatballs and arrange on a sheet tray. Cook until the meatballs are completely cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
For the matzo balls: In a bowl, combine the schmaltz and the eggs. Add the matzo meal, baking powder and salt, and mix well. Mix in 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until the mixture has set, least 1 hour.
Form 12 to 16 balls out of the mix. Bring the remaining gallon of chicken broth to a simmer and drop the matzo balls in. Simmer until cooked through, 30 minutes.
For the minestrone: In a pot, heat the oil. Add the carrots, celery and onions, and sweat. Add the garlic and thyme and saute for 1 minute. Add the zucchini and saute until the carrots are just tender. Add the stock, beans and tomatoes, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the soup until all of the vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
For the pesto: In a food processor combine the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Run the food processor, slowly add the oil and puree to a chunky paste. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, bring the soup to a simmer and add the meatballs and matzo balls. Ladle the soup, 2 meatballs and 1 matzo ball in each bowl.
Spread some pesto on the crostini and balance on top of the matzo ball.