This is comfort food as comfort food should be served: in a bowl. It was inspired when, considering the fact that I hate walking in and out of the Sukkah (the ‘shed’ in which many Jewish people eat all their meals during the festival of Sukkot), I did my best to create one-pot meals. All my children love meatballs, and I had wanted a hearty vegetable soup that ate like a meal. With that in mind, I took my basic meatball recipe, added the meatballs to my vegetable barley soup, and one of my family’s favourite comfort foods was born.

INGREDIENTS:

For the meatballs:

• ½ kilo (1 lb) ground beef
• 1 egg
• 30g (¼ cup) matzo meal or plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the soup:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2 large sticks celery, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 cups (480ml) beef or chicken broth
• 2 potatoes peeled and cut into squares
• 1 cup pearl barley
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

For meatballs:

1. Mix the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, matzo meal or breadcrumbs, ketchup, mustard, and salt. Mix well.
2. Shape the meatballs: Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a large plate.
3. Fry the meatballs: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Fry the meatballs on all sides until browned. Drain on a paper towel-lined tray and set aside.

For soup:

1. Sauté the vegetables: Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft — about 8–10 minutes.
2. Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.
3. Add remaining ingredients: Pour in the broth, then add the browned meatballs, potatoes, and pearl barley.
4. Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Partially cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes, until the barley is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
5. Season to taste: Taste the soup and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.

MAKE AHEAD:

This soup can be made up to two days in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container and reheat gently before serving. It also freezes well for up to one month.