bucatarie pentru Pessah

Passover Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients
1 quart chicken broth
3 tablespoons potato starch
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg
2 teaspoons cold water


Directions
Bring broth to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to broth, Bring to a boil again and remove from heat.

Slowly pour in the egg, stirring constantly in one direction only.


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Low-Fat Mock Chicken Soup & Vegan Matzah Balls
It wouldn't be Pesach with chicken soup and matzah balls. Try making this mock version for everyone - even your carnivore guests will probably prefer it!

Ingredients
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
3 cups boiling water
5 medium carrots, sliced + 2 carrots, sliced
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 parsnip, coarsely chopped
3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/4 c water
1 T extra virgin olive oil
10 cups water
2 bunches green onions, trimmed
1 potato, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
salt, pepper, thyme & marjoram to taste
Onion powder (optional)

Vegan Matzah Balls

1/2 c matzah meal
1/2 t salt
1/2 t onion powder
1/8 t black pepper
6 T water
2 T vegetable oil
1/3 c well mashed, firm tofu

Directions
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl of boiling water for 45 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large stockpot, saut頯nions, parsnip, celery and 5 carrots in 1/4 cup water and olive oil. Stir frequently and add water as necessary to prevent sticking. Cook for 7-10 minutes until tender and golden.

Add the rest of the water, green onions, potatoes, ginger, garlic, salt, thyme and marjoram to the stockpot.

Remove mushrooms from the bowl, retaining the soaking water. Thinly slice the mushrooms and discard the stems. Add the mushrooms and soaking water to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 50 minutes.

To make a clear broth like chicken soup, remove vegetables with a slotted spoon or strainer, pressing on them to extract all the liquid. Season the soup with salt, pepper and onion powder, if desired. Add remaining sliced carrots and simmer for 5-7 minutes.


Vegan Matzah Balls

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil a baking sheet.

Combine matzah meal, salt, onion powder and pepper in a medium bowl. Add water and vegetable oil and mix well thoroughly.

Add mashed tofu and mix thoroughly to integrate all ingredients. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes.

Dust your hands with matzah meal. With your hands, form 1-inch balls and then line them on prepared baking sheet. Cover pan with foil, shiny side down, and bake for half an hour. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.

Add matzah balls to the soup immediately before serving. (Note: vegan matzah balls do not puff up like traditional matzah balls.)

Traditional matzah balls use eggs to bind the mixture together. Since vegans don't eat products derived from animals, this vegan-friendly version uses tofu instead. Note that tofu is made from soybean, a legume which Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern European descent don't traditionally eat on Passover. If you and your guests are from Sephardic descent, of if you tend toward leniency, then you can all enjoy these delicious vegan matzah balls.


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Chicken Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients
For Stock:
2 3-pound chickens
2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
1 onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 springs thyme
2 tomatoes, quartered
8 quarts water
5 sticks lemongrass, smashed
1-inch piece of ginger

For Soup:
1 large carrot
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
a few springs of parsley, minced



Directions
Bring all stock ingredients to a low boil in a large pot and then lower the heat. Cook for an hour, skimming occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, strain and reserve chicken meat.

With a small melon baller, create "matzoh balls" out of the vegetables, then gently cook them in the stock until tender. Add the chicken and garnish each bowl with parsley.

source: Top Chef winner Hung Huynh, Solo NYC