Tag: main course
Matzah Ball Soup
Matzah Ball Soup
Matzah ball soup is the quintessential soup of Jewish cuisine; eaten all year round, especially during Passover. The matzah represents the unleavened bread the Jews ate while fleeing Egypt in the time of Moses. The balls are made from matzah meal, eggs, and fat: either oil or rendered chicken fat called smaltz. The matzah balls are simmered in chicken soup until they double in size, becoming light and fluffy.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken skinned; cut into 8 pieces
- 3 quarts water
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1 small onion quartered
- salt to taste
- 1 box matzah ball mix
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 4 tbsp olive oil or smaltz
- 3 tbsp dill chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces, bay leaves, carrots, celery, and onion in a large stock pot. Cover with 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 90 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Scoop out the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaves. Take the meat off the chicken and chop. Save the carrots and celery. Discard the bay leaves and onion. Season the chicken stock with salt to taste.
- In a bowl, mix together the matzah meal, eggs, and oil or smaltz.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Using a cookie dropper, scoop the matzah dough and roll into balls.
- Turn the heat on the stock to medium low. Add the chicken, carrots, and celery back into the pot.
- Add the matzah balls into the pot.
- Simmer for 20 minutes until the matzah balls more than double in size. Turn off the heat and stir in the dill.
Kālua Pork
Kalua Pork
Kālua pork is a popular staple of Hawaiian cuisine. Traditionally, a whole pig is wrapped in banana leaves and buried underground with a fire; left to roast for an entire day. While that’s going to be a problem doing it in your backyard, you can still make Kālua pork on a smaller scale in your oven. You can find banana leaves at any asian market, usually in the frozen section. Pork shoulder will work the best for this recipe. All you have to do is line a dutch oven with banana leaves, place chunks of pork in the leaves with garlic, liquid smoke, and pink sea salt, wrap it up in the leaves, and bake. The banana leaves give the pork an earthy flavor that you can’t duplicate anywhere else. The pork s traditionally served with shredded cabbage or can be used as pork sliders on Hawaiian rolls.
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- banana leaves
- 3 lbs boneless pork shoulder cut into 2” chunks
- 8 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- Hawaiian pink salt
- water
Instructions
- Line a dutch oven with banana leaves.
- Place the chunks of pork shoulder in the center of the leaves. Add in the garlic and liquid smoke. Season with pink sea salt.
- Fold over and cover the pork with the banana leaves. Fill the dutch oven with 1” of water. Place the lid on and bake in a 300° preheated oven for 3 hours.
- Remove the lid and open up the banana leaves. Shred the pork with a fork and serve.
Chicken Souvlaki
Chicken Souvlaki
Souvlaki is the general Greek term used for skewered and grilled meats. This method of cooking has been dated back to 2000 B.C. Today, souvlaki is considered Greek fast food; typically served with pita, cucumbers, tomato, and tzatziki, with a side of fried potatoes. Souvlaki can be made with chicken, pork, beef, or lamb.
Equipment
- chimney starter
- charcoal
- charcoal grill
- metal skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 1/2” cubes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 lemon juiced
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Accompaniments
- pita
- tzatziki
- cucumber sliced
- tomato sliced
Instructions
- Mix together the marinade ingredients.
- Marinate the chicken breast for up to 24 hours.
- Skewer 5-6 pieces of the chicken breast per stick.
- Place the charcoal in the chimney starter and light until they are grey. Place the skewers directly over the charcoal.
- Grill for about 3 minutes on all 4 sides until cooked through.
