Matza Balls

[cnamon]

What the fuck do I do with them?  Jeff bought them and I don't know how to cook them 

[nishi]

did he buy the kind in a jar?

[Infobahn]

Soups, chicken that I remember.  They are not of my tribe...

There is only one person to call...

GAMP!!

[cnamon]

They are in a box.  I think I have do some type of forming and cooking.  That scares me.

What do they taste like? 

[Gamplayerx]

It's matzoh ball mix?  You're going to need to both make some sort of broth, either chicken or vegetable, and make the balls.  Matzoh is basically kinda like a big cracker, matzoh balls are made from matzoh meal (basically crunched up matzoh), herbs and spices and egg (I think), that you then cook in the broth.  They're like dumplings, I guess, but way better.

[cnamon]

Oh.  OK...that looks sounds like a great thing for Jeff to do. 

Thanks Gamp! +1 for your help.

[Gamplayerx]

You're very welcome.  I love matzoh ball soup, so if you have any leftovers ... 

[nishi]

they're the jewish equivalent of dumplings.

if you want to make them -

take a chicken or chicken parts, put into a soup pot and boil. i usually add sea salt, ground pepper, and sometimes parsley and some garlic and/or onion. you can also throw in carrots and celery.

you're making yourself a really good, hearty chicken stock.

once you've done that, pull out the chicken and set aside. strain the vegetables and stuff out of the stock.

make your matzo balls according to the package directions. i usually try to make them a little smaller than a golf ball. ping pong ball, maybe. bring the stock back up to a simmer and cook the balls in the soup. i sometimes add more parsley at this point, and adjust the salt and pepper.  i like celery with chicken, so sometimes i'll slice some very very thin slices of celery and drop those in there to cook with the matzo.

gamp - what do you do?

yum. now i want matzo ball soup!!

[Gamplayerx]

What do I do?  I go over to my dad's house. 

My dad makes larger than golf ball sized balls.  He adds carrots, onions and celery to the stock.  And pepper.  You gotta watch the salt - that stuff can get way too salty way to easily.

[sapphirehart]

Nishi, that description sounded very yummy.

[Gamplayerx]

Only a month and a half to Passover, I'm already salivating for matzoh ball soup (by the way, we call matzoh balls knaidlach) and matzoh brie (pronounced like fry) which is like french toast, only made with stacks of matzoh - too yummy!.  And latkes (my dad makes the very best latkes and has them for all holidays, not just Chanukah) which are basically hash brown/potato pancakes, oniony, crispy and delicious, topped with sour cream (some freaks use applesauce).  Mmmm, latkes.

Thus ends your Jewish foods lesson for the day.

Great.  Now I'm starving!

[dazie]

Only a month and a half to Passover, I'm already salivating for matzoh ball soup (by the way, we call matzoh balls knaidlach) and matzoh brie (pronounced like fry) which is like french toast, only made with stacks of matzoh - too yummy!.  And latkes (my dad makes the very best latkes and has them for all holidays, not just Chanukah) which are basically hash brown/potato pancakes, oniony, crispy and delicious, topped with sour cream (some freaks use applesauce).  Mmmm, latkes.

Thus ends your Jewish foods lesson for the day.

Great.  Now I'm starving!

mmm.... latkes.   I second that.

[ReBurn]

This thread reminds me of when I used to work in a grocery store in a Jewish neighborhood.

I don't think I could ever eat gefilte fish.

[Gamplayerx]

Gefilte fish is fairly questionable.

[ReBurn]

Questionable is a very diplomatic word.  Breaded fish patties floating in brine.  At least I think that was breading.

[sapphirehart]

Questionable is a very diplomatic word.  Breaded fish patties floating in brine.  At least I think that was breading.

eeewww....just eeeewwwww

[Gamplayerx]

I watched my step-mother's mom make gefilte fish from scratch once.  Pretty gross.

[Infobahn]

The have every kind of food on-a-stick at the Minnesota State Fair.

That inclucludes Gefilte Fish on-a-stick.

Mmmmm.

[ReBurn]

Dang!  I don't see how!  That crap is SOGGY!

[Infobahn]

Everything gets deep fried whether it needs it or not.

[nishi]

Everything gets deep fried whether it needs it or not.

hAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!

does deep frying help gefilte fish? most likely.

[Gamplayerx]

I actually kind of like the gefilte fish that comes in the jar as long as I have enough horseradish.  And somebody scrapes off all the aspic before it hits my plate.

[nishi]

i bet deepfrying takes care of the aspic.

and reburn - that's what you were seeing, i think. the aspic.

[cnamon]

Update:

There was no matzoh ball cooking last night.  Maybe during the week.  I will keep you posted.

[cnamon]

Silverback male gorilla Lucas, eats a matza, a cracker-like bread eaten during the Jewish festival of Passover, at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday April 19, 2005, as the Safari staff prepare of its animals for the week-long holiday. Jews are not allowed to eat or touch leavened foodstuffs during the Passover holiay, which commemorates the exodus of the ancient Hebrews from Egypt. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

No.  I have still not made my soup.