Sunday Dinner Week #23 (December 27, 2009)

With Christmas and New Year's on Fridays this year, it was really hard for me to blog since all the prep and work was centered around  Friday, and then when Sunday rolled around, we just wanted to eat leftovers and not think too much. Poor excuse, but shikata ga nai (it can't be helped).

Christmas was at mom's this year, so she decided to do a Jewish Christmas (hah - the irony!) Somehow, one month later, I don't remember what we had except that there was too much food. However, the starter course, the matzo ball soup was for me, the star of the show, and we continued to eat that soup all the way through Sunday.

Sometimes with food, the best things are the simple things. I love soup and broth, and for me, the clear soups are much more interesting than the cream-laden heavy soups. I am a fan of clear chicken soup, miso soup, egg drop soup and the weight watchers 0 point soup so the matzo soup was worthy for Sunday dinner.

It's becoming a new tradition (2 years running), but right after Christmas, we pack the family and head off for some Kona condo. This year,  went over the new and improved Saddle Road and packed all our boards for some paddle boarding at the Keauhou boat ramp. With 11 of us in a 2-bedroom condo for 6, we decided to hit Costco and cook, so Sunday dinner was a Costco affair with May's teri-loco burgers for cheeseburgers or with eggs, rice and gravy for loco moco, and matzo soup. We found that storing the matzo balls in ziploc and just putting them in at the last minute after the soup is hot is the best way to keep them intact. I love how they puff up like little pillows of what looks to me like cauliflower brains.

 

MATZO BALLS FOR JEWISH CHICKEN SOUP

•   6 eggs
• 2 tsp. salt
• 6 T. oil
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 1/4 c. matzo meal
  

Beat eggs thoroughly. Add salt and oil and beat again. Add water. Beat again. With spoon, slowly pour in matzo meal and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

• 4 quarts water
• 1 T. salt
  

Boil water and salt in large kettle. Do not use aluminum kettle or balls will turn dark. Test water by dropping a small amount of batter into it; if the batter disintegrates, it needs a bit more matzo meal. If it stays together, it is alright.

Measure 2 tablespoons of batter in a wet hand and form into balls. Drop into rapidly boiling water for 30 minutes. Put lid on kettle, but leave a slit for steam to escape. Dip out with a slotted spoon. Pour a small amount of the liquid over the matzo balls.

Do not store in aluminum. Balls can be frozen or left in the refrigerator for a day. When put in soup, allow them to simmer in the soup for 15-20 minutes. They shrink when cold but will inflate again as they are warmed and put into liquid.