|
KOSHER DELIGHT - YOUR JEWISH ONLINE MAGAZINE!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
KOSHER PASSOVER RECIPES |
|
| |
CHICKEN SOUP WITH ASPARAGUS AND
SHIITAKES, SERVED WITH ROASTED FENNEL AND MATZTOH BALLS |
|
| |
Meat. Yield: About 8 servings |
|
| |
INGREDIENTS: |
|
| |
MATZOH BALLS
|
|
| |
- 2 Small-medium fennel bulbs (about 1 pound,
weighted with 2 inches of top stalks)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup chicken broth, preferably homemade, or
good-quality low-sodium canned.
- 1 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground in a spice
grinder or with a mortar and pestle (optional).
- 2 large eggs
- About ½ cup plus 2 tbsp matzoh meal
|
|
| |
SOUP
|
|
| |
- 7 cups homemade chicken broth
- ¼ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems
removed and reserved for another use or discarded, caps wiped
clean with a damp paper towel and thinly sliced
- 12-15 thin asparagus spears, trimmed and cut
into 1-inch pieces
|
|
| |
INSTRUCTIONS: |
|
| |
- Prepare the matzoh balls. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut
off the fennel stalks and reserve for another use (excellent for
fish broth and stews). If there are some attractive feathery
fronds, chop and set aside about 2 tbsp of them to garnish the
soup. Quarter the bulbs and trim away the stems, the bottom hard
core, and any tough parts. Choose a shallow baking pan just large
enough to fit the fennel in one layer and put in 1 tbsp of the
oil. Add the fennel and toss until well-coated. Roast the fennel
until pale gold, about 20 minutes, then turn and roast for 10
minutes longer. Stir in the broth, garlic, salt and pepper to
taste, and ½ tsp of the thyme. Cover the pan with foil and cook
for 35-45 minutes longer, or until the fennel is very soft. Remove
the foil, stir, and roast for a few more minutes to evaporate most
of the liquid. Transfer the fennel and garlic to a food processor
and chop coarsely. Add the remaining ¼ tsp thyme, salt (it will
need about 1 tsp), pepper to taste, and fennel seeds, if using.
With the machine on, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil through
the feed tube.
- Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. You should have about 1
cup of puree, so nosh on any extra. Whisk in the eggs, one at a
time. Add the matzoh meal and stir well. If you can form a lump
into a very soft walnut-size ball (the batter will become firmer
when you chill it), don't add any more matzoh meal. If necessary,
add just enough matzoh meal to enable you to do so. Refrigerate
for at least 2 or up to 4 hours so the matzoh meal can drink in
the liquid and seasoning.
- When ready to cook, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tbsp of slat
to a rapid boil in a large, wide pot. Dipping your hands into cold
water if needed, roll the batter into walnut-size balls. When all
the balls are rolled and the water is boiling furiously, turn the
heat down to a gentle boil. Carefully slide in the balls one at a
time and cover the pot tightly.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook over low heat for 30
minutes, without removing the cover (They will cook by direct heat
as well as by steam, which makes them puff and swell, and lifting
the lead will allow some of that steam to escape.) Take out a
dumpling and cut it in half. It should be light, fluffy, and
completely cooked through. If it isn't, continue cooking a few
more minutes. Remove the balls gently with a skimmer of large
slotted spoon - they are too fragile to pour into a colander.
- Make the soup. Put the broth in a large pot. Bring to a simmer.
Add the matzoh balls, the mushrooms, and asparagus and simmer for
about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- To serve, warm shallow soup bowls. Using a slotted spoon,
transfer the matzoh balls to the heated bowls and ladle the hot
soup and the vegetables over them. Garnish with the reserved
chopped fennel fronds.
|
|
| |
Source: The Gefilte Variations by Jayne Cohen |
|
| |
|
|
|
KOSHER DELIGHT MAGAZINE
|
