Don’t know about you, but here at The Shmear we’ve been home cooking (and freezing) a lot this week! Not sure about how some of the new kugel recipes will turn out – but one thing for sure is that when I can not eat another bite of my leftovers, I will be heading over to Cantina Feliz in Fort Washington, PA for some of Chef Tim Spinner’s Matza Ball Soup Mexican style!
The Shmear Cafe will remain closed this closed this week in observance of Passover.
By Saturday, most of us have had enough matza to see us through until 2016 and are desperately craving a bagel (from The Shmear Cafe, of course). Well, we haven’t found a matza bagel that we liked enough to share, but we have found a recipe for Everything Matza that we think might get you through the weekend!
Everything Matza with Shmear and Lox by Breakfast to Bed
This, is a process. An easy one. Take the matzoh, lightly butter it, top it with salt, the lightest sprinkle of garlic powder, the lightest sprinkle of onion powder, and the most gentle handed pinch of dried tarragon. (fennel is a no-no, and tarragon has a similar flavor) Put the matzoh in the toaster oven for approximately 4 minutes, top with cream cheese, lox, onion, and caper. MMMMMMMM.
This blog entry was from April 2012. There have been so many requests for it we are re-posting.
A Happy Passover to all!
A couple of years ago Bon Appetit published an article with tips for making better Matzo Balls. Admittedly, every family has a different definition of the perfect knadel but these tips are universal!
Tips to a Better Ball
1. Refrigerate the batter overnight. Many recipes say you can chill batter for a couple of hours, but if you leave it overnight, the matzo meal will absorb more moisture, hold together better, and cook more evenly.
2. Embrace chicken fat. The secret to good matzo balls is schmaltz; fat tenderizes the dumplings.
3. Salt the cooking water generously. Matzo balls absorb the water they are cooking in, and if this water isn’t salted, they will get blander and blander. You can also throw in an onion or a few celery stalks
4. Wet hands. To shape dumplings, wet hands and toss dough back and forth from palm to palm to shape into a ball.
5. Cover to cook. If the matzo balls are large, they will take longer to cook (usually an hour or a bit more), and it is important to cover the pot to keep water from evaporating. When matzo balls are very small, cooking them uncovered is okay and can be easier.
6. When are they done? To check for doneness, cut the matzo ball in half; the dough should be the same color throughout.
7. Do ahead. To make matzo balls ahead, cook completely, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a dish in a single layer. Cover and chill up to three days. When ready to serve, rewarm them in the soup.
8. Leftovers. If you have leftovers, cut matzo balls into thick slices and fry them for breakfast.
Another fab Passover recipe from our friends at Cantina Feliz. Please see our earlier post with their Passover Tasting Menu; this fresh, innovative twist on a classic is on the menu!
Chef Tim Spinner’s
MEXICAN MATZO BALL SOUP
Cantina Feliz
424 S. Bethlehem Pike, Suite 1
Ft. Washington, PA 19034
(215) 646-1320
La Calaca Feliz
2321 Fairmount Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 787-9930
Taqueria Feliz
Manayunk
4410 Main Street
Philadelphia, PA 19127
(267) 331-5874
Serves 4-6
8 ea Plum Tomatoes (Charred on Grill or Cast Iron Skillet)
3 ea cloves Garlic (Charred on Grill or Cast Iron Skillet)
1 ea Spanish Onion (Charred on Grill or Cast Iron Skillet)
2 oz Tomato Paste
3 ea Pasilla Chiles
3 ea Gaujillo Chiles
2 ea Chipotles in Adobo
Matzo
1 Gallon Chicken Stock
Vegetable Oil
For the soup:
In a large stock pot heat vegetable oil until hot. Add charred tomatoes, onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add Tomato Paste, Gaujillo Chiles, Pasilla Chiles and Chipotles in Adobo. Cook on low for 10 minutes. Make sure to stir the pot often so the ingredients do not burn. Add the chicken stock. Bring up to a boil and turn to a low simmer. Cook for 45 minutes. Add Matzo and cook for another 10 minutes until Matzo is soft and tender. Puree with a stick blender on high and pass soup through a large hole china cap. Season with Salt.
For the Matzo Balls:
*recipe courtesy of Streits
Follow recipe:
1 c Streit’s Passover Matzo Meal
4 Large Eggs
¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
¼ c Seltzer
1 tbs Parsley, chopped
Salt, to taste
Beat eggs. Add water, oil and salt. Mix well. Add matzo meal and stir thouroughly. Refridgerate for 30 minutes. Partially fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Season with salt. Moisten palms with cold water. Form mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Drop balls in boiling water. When all the matzo balls are in the pot reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for about 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and refrigerate for later.
Assembling soup:
Warm up broth. Add matzo balls and let simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and garnish with cilantro, diced onion and micro arugula.
It’s the first morning of Passover, and I was challenged what to eat for breakfast. This recipe uses matzo to replace standard oats in this Passover-friendly version of granola. Serve this unexpected take on granola with yogurt or milk, or snack on it straight from the container. With its satisfying crunch and sweet flavor, it may become your go-to granola year round.
INGREDIENTS:
INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Heat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle.
2) Whisk the butter, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Add the matzo pieces or farfel and mix until thoroughly coated.
3) Transfer the mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time. Add the pistachios, stir to combine and bake, stirring halfway through the baking time, until the matzo is starting to crisp and the pistachios are toasted, about 10-12 minutes more.
4) Transfer the granola to a large heatproof bowl, add the apricots and raisins, and stir to combine. Let cool completely. (the granola will crisp up as it cools) Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or the end of Passover!
A couple of years ago Bon Appetit published an article with tips for making better Matzo Balls. Admittedly, every family has a different definition of the perfect knadel but these tips are universal!
Tips to a Better Ball
1. Refrigerate the batter overnight. Many recipes say you can chill batter for a couple of hours, but if you leave it overnight, the matzo meal will absorb more moisture, hold together better, and cook more evenly.
2. Embrace chicken fat. The secret to good matzo balls is schmaltz; fat tenderizes the dumplings.
3. Salt the cooking water generously. Matzo balls absorb the water they are cooking in, and if this water isn’t salted, they will get blander and blander. You can also throw in an onion or a few celery stalks
4. Wet hands. To shape dumplings, wet hands and toss dough back and forth from palm to palm to shape into a ball.
5. Cover to cook. If the matzo balls are large, they will take longer to cook (usually an hour or a bit more), and it is important to cover the pot to keep water from evaporating. When matzo balls are very small, cooking them uncovered is okay and can be easier.
6. When are they done? To check for doneness, cut the matzo ball in half; the dough should be the same color throughout.
7. Do ahead. To make matzo balls ahead, cook completely, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a dish in a single layer. Cover and chill up to three days. When ready to serve, rewarm them in the soup.
8. Leftovers. If you have leftovers, cut matzo balls into thick slices and fry them for breakfast.
The Shmear 