Matzah balls – fluffy and yummy

Yesterday I made the fluffiest matzah balls, ever and wanted to save the recipe here. It is based on Genius Kitchen’s kosher matzo balls. 

For Fluffy Matzah Balls:

• 1 cup matzo meal
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped dill weed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons broth

Follow these instructions carefully.

• Measure and mix dry ingredients + spices into one bowl, mix with a fork.
• Break the eggs into a into a second bowl.
• Add oil to the eggs and stir gently with a fork until the yolks are broken and the oil just mixed.
• Pour egg mixture into the dry mixture and gently mix with the fork.
• DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Add 4 tablespoons of chicken soup broth and just mix it enough for the broth to be incorporated into the mix.
• DO NOT OVER MIX.
• Place in the fridge for 1 hour.
• Fill a large pot of water + 2 cups of chicken soup broth and bring it to a rolling boil.
• Roll mixture into 1-2″ balls and drop into the water.
• When all the balls are in the water leave it to boil until all the balls float to the top, then lower the temperature to a rolling simmer for 40 minutes and your matzah balls will be ready.

DO NOT STIR AT ANY TIME.

The matzah balls may be removed from the water with a slotted spoon and served in soup.

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Chicken Soup – it is good for the soul

I finally made a chicken soup that was perfect – just perfect and wanted to jot down the recipe so I wouldn’t forget it. The best way to get a deep rich chicken soup is to cook it over two days for at least 5 hours/day. Additionally, adding frozen broth from a previous batch of chicken soup will give the soup additional flavor and depth. Plus, in our house we always have frozen stock because I cook with homemade stock only.

Ingredients:

• 8 quart soup pot + lid
• Metal spice infuser
• 2 chicken legs + chicken bones (preferably hormone and antibiotic free)
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 5 pieces of garlic (with skin on)
• 1 leek
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 turnip
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 handful of parsley
• 1 handful of dill
• 1 tumeric root (size of a small adult thumb, peeled)
• 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
• **Secret ingredient** – 4 cups of frozen chicken stock if you have any on hand

Directions:

• Thaw frozen chicken soup stock (doesn’t have to thaw 100%, more like enough for it to easily slide out of its container).
• Dice
  • Carrots
  • Sweet potato
  • Zucchinis
  • Turnip
  • Leek
• Quarter onion
• Toss all ingredients into the pot except the black peppercorns
• Put the peppercorns in the metal spice infuser and add to the pot
• Cook over a medium fire for at least 5 hours
  • Remove the dill + parsley after 2 hours
• Add more water after 3 hours if necessary.

Let it cool down and place in fridge overnight. Take out in the am and place on the stovetop and let it cook all day until mealtime. Add more water if necessary.

 

 

Yemenite Lentil Soup with Maple Syrup Chickpeas

I find it amusing how most of my most recent blog posts revolve around recipes. Cooking delicious food is my way to show my love for those that are special to me.

Tonight I made a very simple soup for my two loves. It is a big treat when I can cook one dish and for all of us to eat it. One of us is a vegetarian, one of us is under 1 and the other is a carnivore.

The baby ate her entire portion and my husband asked where I found the recipe. “I made it up” I replied.

“Wow” he said, “you need to share the recipe”. And so, here it is

Yemenite lentil soup with roasted maple syrup chickpeas

Ingredients

• 1 white onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup of red lentils
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of hawaij
• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• 6 cups of water

Directions:

• Heat a heavy bottom pot (dutch oven) on the stove and add the olive oil. While the oil is heating up
• Turn on the oven to roast – 205 degrees Celcius
• Chop up the onion and toss it into the pan and let it sit until it turns translucent. Don’t stir, just let it cook
• Mince the garlic, throw it into the pan and stir
• Peel and dice the sweet potato, toss into the pan
• Add 1 tablespoon of hawaij and brown sugar, mix
• Add 6 cups of water and cover the pot. Let it come to a boil and cook for 30 minutes.
• Drain a can of chickpeas and place in a baking dish so all of the chickpeas are spread out in one layer and drizzle 1/4 cup of maple syrup over the chickpeas.
• Roast the chickpeas for 7 minutes – stay nearby because the maple syrup can burn easily.
• Once the soup has finished cooking, add the second tablespoon of hawaij, mix and then take the pot off the fire. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until there are no large pieces.
• Spoon into bowls and top with maple roasted chickpeas