matzo meal

The actress Natalie Portman was seeking a good vegan matzo ball soup, and the result is this recipe: soft matzo balls that hold together thanks to a little help from chickpeas. Matzo meal, potato starch, a little olive oil and lots of ginger, dill and cilantro lend plenty of flavor, while chickpea water (known as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/11/dining/aquafaba-vegan-egg-substitute.html">aquafaba</a>) provides binding that would otherwise come from eggs. You can use the liquid from canned chickpeas, but the liquid from dry chickpeas soaked, then cooked in water works best. Ginger and nutmeg are characteristics of German-Jewish matzo balls, while the Yemenite addition of cilantro and dill adds even more brightness and flavor. Natalie is right: “It’s a very sad world without good matzo balls.” 

Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

potato starch

parsley

cilantro

ginger,

dill

nutmeg

baking soda

baking powder

Kosher salt and black pepper

olive oil

chickpea cooking liquid (from home-cooked chickpeas

vegetable broth

carrots,

celery,

kohlrabi,

leek,

yellow

garlic cloves, chopped

herbs

Zhug

Make the matzo balls: In a medium bowl, mix the matzo meal, potato starch, parsley, cilantro, ginger, dill, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the olive oil and enough chickpea liquid to make a slightly sticky mixture that’s not too wet or loose, about the texture of oatmeal. (The matzo meal will absorb lots of the liquid.) Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Make the broth: In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the carrots, celery, kohlrabi, leek, onion, olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes, then remove from heat.

When the matzo mix is cold, return the broth to a low simmer. Dip your hands in cold water and form 1 1/2-inch matzo balls, about the size of a large walnut. You should have about 20 matzo balls.

Carefully drop the matzo balls into the broth, cover and simmer without disturbing them until tender but firm, about 20 minutes. Divide among bowls. Garnish with lots of fresh herbs, and, if you want more punch to your soup, serve with some zhug or harissa.

For children (and arguably most adults), the most welcome Passover dish is <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018442-chicken-soup-from-scratch">chicken soup</a> with matzo balls. My matzo balls, neither heavy as lead nor light as a feather, are al dente, infused with fresh ginger and nutmeg. I like to freeze them, and the soup, in advance.

Joan Nathan’s Matzo Ball Soup

eggs

schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), coconut oil oil

chicken stock or vegetable stock

ginger

parsley, dill or cilantro

salt, more for cooking

Black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, schmaltz, stock, matzo meal, nutmeg, ginger and parsley. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Gently mix with a whisk or spoon. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or overnight.

To shape and cook the matzo balls, fill a wide, deep pan with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. With wet hands, take some of the mix and mold it into the size and shape of a Ping-Pong ball. Gently drop it into the boiling water, repeating until all the mix is used.

Cover the pan, reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook matzo balls about 30 to 40 minutes for 
al dente, longer for light. If desired, the cooked matzo balls can be transferred to chicken or vegetable soup and served immediately. Alternatively, they may be placed on a baking sheet and frozen, then transferred to a freezer bag and kept frozen until a few hours before serving; reheat in chicken or vegetable soup or broth.

Joan Nathan, the Jewish cooking maven, shares her matzo ball recipe with Melissa Clark.

Joan Nathan’s Matzo Balls

Whole-Wheat Matzo Balls

eggs,

stock

canola oil

black pepper

Salt

whole-wheat matzo meal,

In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, stock, oil, pepper and 2 teaspoons salt; mix well. Gradually add dill and 1 cup of matzo meal, stirring with a fork.

Whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold into matzo batter. Cover and refrigerate until batter is well chilled, at least 1 hour.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a gentle boil. Wet hands with cold water and shape some of batter into a walnut-size ball. Drop it into pot. If it starts to fall apart, add a little more matzo meal to remaining batter. If it holds its shape, roll remaining batter into balls and add to pot.

Simmer matzo balls, covered, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat soup until simmering. When matzo balls are ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer them from water to soup. Serve hot.

Kishke

chicken fat, suet or vegetable oil

onion,

garlic, chopped

carrot,

salt,

black pepper,

paprika

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of foil 12 inches long, topped with a sheet of parchment paper the same size.

In a skillet over medium-low heat, heat 4 tablespoons fat or vegetable oil, and sauté onion and garlic until soft and golden. Cool slightly and pour everything, including fat, into a food processor equipped with a steel blade.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons fat or oil, celery, carrot, matzo meal, salt, pepper and paprika to food processor. Pulse until vegetables and fat are incorporated into a paste. Transfer mixture to parchment paper, and shape into a knockwurst-like cylinder about 9 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Enclose parchment and foil firmly around cylinder, folding ends under.

Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook until kishke is solid, 45 to 60 minutes more. Unroll kishke to expose surface; return to oven just until top is lightly browned and slightly crisped, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly, and cut into rounds. If desired, serve as a side dish with pot roast or roast chicken.

If you loathe gefilte fish, that staple of the Seder, it may just be that you've never had it homemade. In this recipe, created to convert gefilte fish skeptics, the traditional patties are updated with more flavorful fish, and then poached in court-bouillon — that is, a light vegetable broth. Be sure to use a wide pot here; the patties rise to the top as they cook, and you want to give them enough space.

Gefilte Fish

yellow onions, peeled

celery

fennel

black peppercorns

boneless, skinless trout, pike

chives

vegetable oil

radicchio

Prepared horseradish,

Fill a large, wide pot with 10 cups of water and place over high heat. While bringing to a boil, coarsely chop and add to the pot 1 onion, 1 celery stalk, 1 carrot and the fennel bulb. Add the peppercorns and 1 teaspoon salt. Once water is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, while preparing the fish.

Coarsely chop the remaining onion, celery stalk and 1 carrot, then pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. Add fish, chives and 2 tablespoons parsley, tarragon and/or dill, and keep pulsing until fish is chopped but not mushy.

Move the fish mixture to a medium bowl and add eggs, oil, matzo meal, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste) and the ground black pepper, and mix well with your hands.

Put your hands in a bowl of cold water. Using your hands, mold the fish mixture into a 3- by 2-inch oval patty (about 2 ounces) and gently place on a platter. Repeat with the remaining fish mixture, dipping your hands in water as needed.   

Pop the third carrot into the simmering broth and gently add the patties to the pot. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until patties are firm.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish and carrot from the poaching liquid to cool on a plate. Slice the carrot diagonally into thin rounds.

Place each patty on a leaf of radicchio or endive or both. Set the sliced carrot rounds on top of each patty. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of fresh herbs and serve warm or at room temperature with horseradish, preferably homemade. If making a day ahead, refrigerate, covered, then return the patties to room temperature before serving.

Michael W. Twitty’s use of matzo meal to coat his fried chicken is an ode to the innovative Black women of the American South, including his own ancestors. Marrying the traditions of Black southern cooking with Southern Ashkenazi Jewish culinary ones, Black women in cities like Savannah, Ga., Charleston, S.C., New Orleans and Nashville preserved their African heritage and local Jewish customs through this fried chicken. The fragrant spice mixture is enough to gather droves of people around the table, and the dish’s Southern charm is evident with the first crispy, tender and juicy bite.

Matzo-Meal Fried Chicken

kosher salt,

poultry seasoning

cinnamon

allspice

cloves

whole kosher chickens,

Neutral oil, for frying (see Tip)

Combine the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves in a bowl. 

Rinse chickens and pat dry. Cut each into pieces: breasts, wings, drumsticks and thighs. If the breast halves are very large, cut them in half crosswise. Season the chicken all over with the spice mixture, cover and refrigerate for a few hours.

Beat the eggs with a fork in a shallow dish, then mix in 2 tablespoons water. Place matzo meal in another dish. Set up two racks over two large baking sheets lined with paper towels. Dip each chicken piece in the eggs to thoroughly coat, then in the matzo meal. Set on the racks, arranging breasts, wings, legs and thighs together. Let sit for about 15 minutes at room temperature so the coating can set. 

Meanwhile, add oil to a depth of 1 1/4 inches in a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven and heat over medium to about 325 degrees. Working in batches by chicken parts and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a steady sizzle, fry the breasts then the dark meat until browned all around and 165 degrees or higher for white meat and 175 degrees for dark meat, 7 to 8 minutes per side. If needed, continue cooking pieces to brown evenly or cook through, about 4 minutes. Use your best judgment (and a meat thermometer): Crispy and golden brown on the outside doesn’t necessarily mean done on the inside. 

Line large platters with paper towels. As the chicken pieces finish cooking, remove them with tongs and place them on the platters to drain. Sprinkle with salt, if you’d like, and serve hot or warm.

Passover might mark the official occasion of Matzo Ball Soup, but this recipe is comforting and cozy whatever the time of year and whatever your cooking level. 

Matzo Ball Soup

onion, quartered

turnip, quartered

parsnip,

chicken,

c. chicken broth

flat-leaf parsley

Kosher salt

c. chicken fat, melted

c. seltzer water

c. matzo meal

kosher salt

In a very large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, turnip, and parsnip and cook until vegetables are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Place chicken on top of vegetables and toss so that the chicken gets slightly covered in veggies and oil. Add broth and enough water to just cover the chicken.&nbsp;

Add dill, parsley, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 2 hours. Remove chicken (use for the soup or reserve for another use). Reserve a few pieces of carrot (to be later sliced and added to the finished soup),&nbsp;then&nbsp;strain broth into a large bowl or large measuring cup. Discard the remaining vegetables and herbs.&nbsp;

Season broth with salt and pepper and serve&nbsp;with matzo balls (recipe follows).

MAKE THE CHICKEN SOUP

In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Add chicken fat and seltzer and mix well. Add matzo meal, salt and pepper and mix well, taking care to ensure all of the matzo meal is incorporated into the egg mixture. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a cookie scoop (for medium-sized matzo balls) or ice cream scoop (for large matzo balls), form the mixture into balls, smoothing their shape by rolling them between slightly wet hands. Drop each ball into the boiling water. (They will sink initially, but will rise to the top as they cook.) Cook for 25-35&nbsp;minutes, or until the centers of the matzo balls are fully cooked. They’ll look dense and dark yellow in the center if they’re not done.

Remove them from the boiling water and either add to the chicken soup, or place directly into individual serving bowls and top with soup.&nbsp;

MAKE THE MATZO BALLS

https://streaming.hearstdigitalstudios.com/2140c943-72df-422f-9635-69b8336d1aa0/video_rover_16x9_1080p_hd_1649947719_89123.mp4

Passover might mark the official occasion of Matzo Ball Soup, but this recipe is comforting and cozy whatever the time of year and whatever your cooking level.

This Matzo Ball Soup Is Pure Comfort

Greater than the sum of its parts, matzo ball soup is a wonderful combination of three very simple things: chicken broth (golden brown, deeply savory, lightly seasoned), matzo balls (tender, eggy, schmaltzy dumplings made with ground matzo) and garnish (celery and fresh dill, lots of it). The key to keeping the chicken juicy, tender and something you’re excited to eat is by gently simmering the stock (which will also keep the broth crystal clear rather than muddied). You can pick the meat from the chicken and add it back to the soup if you like, or save for next-day chicken salad. For the matzo balls, matzo meal is preferred for its fine texture, but know that you can also grind your own from matzo boards in a food processor.

Matzo Ball Soup With Celery and Dill

yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered

garlic heads, unpeeled,

celery stalks, chopped

matzo meal (not matzo ball mix), or 1 cup finely ground matzo boards

chicken fat, grapeseed oil

club soda

dill leaves

Prepare the broth: Combine chicken, onions, garlic, celery and carrots in a large pot. Cover with 12 cups water and season with salt. (If your pot can’t handle all that water, fill the pot with as much as you can, and add remaining water as it reduces.)

Bring to a strong simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low so that the broth is gently simmering.

Continue to gently simmer, uncovered, until the broth is extremely flavorful and well seasoned, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Using tongs, remove breasts, thighs and legs from the pot (let any skin and bones fall into the pot), leaving everything else behind.

Pick the meat from the chicken, discarding any fat, skin, bones, cartilage or any drier pieces of meat that you wouldn’t find delicious to eat. Set meat aside to either put back into your soup, or to use in another dish (chicken salad, etc).

Strain broth (you should have about 10 cups) and return to the pot. Season with salt and pepper (it should be as seasoned and delicious as you’d want it to be when serving). Keep warm, if using same day, or let cool and refrigerate overnight.

As broth sits, prepare the matzo balls: Combine matzo meal, chives and 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt in a medium bowl. Using a fork, incorporate eggs until well blended. Add chicken fat, followed by club soda, mixing until no lumps remain. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is firm and fully hydrated, at least 2 hours (and up to 24 hours).

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Using your hands, roll matzo ball mixture into balls slightly smaller than the size of a ping pong ball (about 1 1/4-inch in diameter), placing them on a plate or parchment lined baking sheet until all the mixture is rolled (you should have about 24 matzo balls).

Add matzo balls to the boiling water and cook until floating, puffed and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. (You can always sacrifice one, plucking it from the broth and cutting it in half to check that it’s cooked through. The texture should be uniform in color and texture, and the balls shouldn’t be dense or undercooked in the center.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to the chicken broth.

Add celery (and some of the picked chicken meat, if you desire) and season again with salt before ladling into bowls, topping with dill, celery leaves and a crack of freshly ground pepper.

The chef Fany Gerson’s spicy, dynamic take on a classic matzo ball soup is a staple of her Rosh Hashana table. The broth gets a bright kick from green chiles, cilantro and garlic; the matzo balls are blended with onions and fresh herbs (use an extra-large pot to prevent the balls from overcrowding); and the finished soup is garnished with even more onions, chiles and cilantro, plus avocado and lime for freshness and color. The broth calls for two chickens, even though you use the meat from only one of the chickens shredded in the soup. Ms. Gerson says using two chickens boosts the flavor of the broth, and you can use the meat from the second one the following day for enchiladas or tacos.

Matzo Ball Soup a la Mexicana

chickens (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each),

celery stalks,

white onions,

Serrano

garlic clove, peeled

bay leaves

Kosher salt,

salt

large eggs, 3 of them separated

chicken oil

herbs,

white onion, peeled and finely chopped

Serrano peppers (or 1 jalapeño pepper), seeded and finely chopped

cilantro leaves

avocados, diced

limes,

epazote

Prepare the broth: Place all the ingredients except the salt in a large soup pot and fill with cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Skim off any foam, add salt and simmer, partially covered, until the chickens have fully cooked, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Carefully remove one of the chickens from the broth and transfer to a bowl. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken and reserve meat, ladling a small amount of broth over it to keep it from drying out, then cover and set aside. Discard the skin and return the bones to the pot. Continue cooking the broth at a high simmer for about 2 hours, adding more water if needed to replenish. Turn off the heat and let cool. Strain and discard vegetables and bones, reserving the second chicken for another preparation (such as shredding it to use in enchiladas).

About an hour before the broth is done, make the matzo balls: In a large bowl, combine the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, baking soda and black pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs with the 3 yolks, the grated onion, the chicken fat and the minced herbs. In another medium bowl, beat the 3 egg whites by hand or with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir the egg-yolk mixture into the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the beaten egg whites and mix until incorporated. Gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the batter and refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Fill a small bowl with water and set aside. Scoop mounds of the matzo batter (about 1 tablespoon each) onto the baking sheet. Using the water to keep your hands moist, as needed, roll each scoop of batter into a ball, handling as gently as possible.

Return the chicken broth to a simmer and season with salt, if needed. Add the matzo balls as gently as possible and cook over moderate heat, turning them a few times, until they are plump and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup and cook just until the meat is warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Serve soup with onions, chiles, cilantro, epazote, avocado and lime wedges on the side, so everyone can garnish as they like.

A bubula (bubaleh) is a fluffy and delicious matzo meal pancake. The taste evokes only happy memories of my Grandma with her thick glasses, denture-filled smile. Add some fruit compote on top and you&#39;ll be in comfort food heaven!

Matzo Meal Pancake or Bubula

eggs (separated)

seltzer water

sugar

Separate 2 eggs. Put the whites in a medium bowl, big enough for whipping them. Place the yellows in a similar size bowl.

To the yolks, add 2 tablespoons of matzo meal, one tablespoon of sparkling water (seltzer), and a pinch of salt. Combine, using a small whisk or fork.

Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and then fold the egg whites into the yellow mixture.

Heat a small skillet on medium to medium-high. Once heated, add one tablespoon of oil, then add the matzo meal mixture.

Cook until you see it sizzle around the edges and firm up. Then, depending on your skill in the kitchen, you can either flip the pancake like a pro or grab a spatula to turn it over. (Dormant chef flipped, I used a spatula) It should be nicely browned.

It only needs to cook briefly on the flip side to brown and finish firming up the interior.

Flip the bubula onto a plate, sprinkle with granulated sugar. A little cinnamon is nice too. Powdered sugar would be attractive but I have always loved the texture of the granulated sugar with the matzo meal pancake.

Top 10 matzo meal recipes from across the web

The most viewed matzo meal recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

Joan Nathan’s Matzo Ball Soup

Whole-Wheat Matzo Balls

Kishke

Gefilte Fish

Matzo-Meal Fried Chicken

Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo Ball Soup With Celery and Dil...

Matzo Ball Soup a la Mexicana

Matzo Meal Pancake or Bubula

Top 10 matzo meal recipes from across the web

The most viewed matzo meal recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

Joan Nathan’s Matzo Ball Soup

Whole-Wheat Matzo Balls

Kishke

Gefilte Fish

Matzo-Meal Fried Chicken

Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo Ball Soup With Celery and Dil...

Matzo Ball Soup a la Mexicana

Matzo Meal Pancake or Bubula

The most viewed matzo meal recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine