Hi, my love.

Typing to you from good old New York. Holiday weekend is coming to a close, I just picked up borscht at B&H Dairy.

We return to Hamsterdance tomorrow, a lightning short trip even by my standards.

I am sleepy and jet lagged and very grateful for you. Considering all the family and travel and Passover this is a short one. I’ve finally included a treasured / tried and true recipe so many of you have requested to make up for it. Send me photos if you use it! And Chag Sameach / Happy Easter if you celebrate.

With love,
t

Taali’s Matzoh Ball Soup (which is really more of a stock recipe, since as you’ll see I’m a cheater on the m-balls and you should be, too)

Serves 4 people, ish. Scale up accordingly.

Stock

1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 large fennel, fronds included (nay! encouraged!), chopped
1 turnip, peeled and chopped
2 large onions, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, smashed
4 chicken thighs
2 carrots, chopped
2-3 celery, chopped
1 whole bunch of dill
1 whole bunch of parsley
2 cloves

Pretty simple from here on out.

Pour some olive oil in a big pot over high heat.
Cook the onions till they’re soft. No real way to go wrong here.
A minute or so in throw in the garlic, too.
Give all that another minute.

Then the chicken thighs: Get them white on each side but not a full cook - 1 minute or so per side.

Then the key part: Sweat everything. Throw those veggies in, and shove everything around with a wooden spoon a lot. Cook for no less than 5 minutes, I usually do 10. Stir everything around every minute or so. What you’re looking for is liquid in the bottom of the pan, that’s the golden goodness.

When you’ve got sufficient golden goodness, the vegetables have cooked down a bit and you’re feeling NICE and bubbe-ish, cover it all with water. However much you need to submerge the veggies and thighs, could be 5-6 cups or so. Throw in the whole bunch of dill, the parsley and the cloves.

Turn the heat down to the lowest lowest lowest simmer, and cook uncovered for 3 hours. I mean it: 3 hours at least!

Go for a walk or make a pie or something.

When it’s all done, strain out the veggies. Save the thigh meat for the soup.

Matzoh Balls

Honestly I will die on this hill: I have yet to cook or eat a matzoh ball made by hand that comes even close to the mix.

So.

1 package of whatever mix you like (in America we use Manischewitz, in Holland we use telma kneidl)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
Splash of selzter

Mix egg and oil together. Add matzoh meal and stir with a fork until it just comes together: Don’t over mix it. Splash that seltzer on in, shrump it up a bit.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then take out, wet your hands, lightly form into balls and put them into your boiling stock!

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

To serve

While you’re cooking the matzoh balls, chop up a few more carrots and celery and shred up your chicken thighs from the stock that you saved.

5 minutes before eating, cook the chopped carrots in the broth with the matzies, the celery 2 minutes before.

Serve to your guests so that they can worship at the feet of your infinite bubbe-ness.

Small aside

If you did indeed use this recipe, would you please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to th’ol ttalk? Just $5 a month makes a huge difference for your girl t (and also gets you a real deal pony express postcard every month).

More important aside

I love you.