Friday, March 30, 2007
Vodka in matzo balls: Don't knock it til you try it
I'm in the middle of a Jewish soul-food blitz right now. This week I made a big batch of matzo balls fortified with a full two tablespoons of Popov vodka in the batter. They have a nice "kick'' that your run-of-the-mill ordinary matzo balls don't have -- a bit of a sting at the top of your mouth when you bite them --- but I'm concerned they aren't Kosher for Passover. (I know there are strict restrictions on certain grains and legumes during Passover, though it's also true that vodka is made out of all kinds of different things. Perhaps there is a matzo-flour-based vodka that's out there somewhere on the market.) Anyhow, I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this concoction. I got it straight out of the New York Times Passover Cookbook. In case you're curious, it also involves a cup and a hald of matzo meal, four to five farm-fresh eggs, a tablespoon or so of cooking oil, a tablespoon and a half of chicken broth, salt to taste and the aforementioned tablespoon and a half of vodka. Boil in broth for 45 minutes. I strongly recommend cooking them in canned chicken soup for that time and then transferring them into a big vat of Zabar's Homemade Chicken Soup.
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2 comments:
My mother made these for years and never a complaint - we had on every holiday...she was a master chef...enjoy
thank you, Anonymous. I go back and forth on the vodka. Personally, I think the 'big secret' is putting in more water than the recipe calls for, and letting the batch of matzo balls sit in the refrigerator for a good long time -- up to 45 minutes in some cases. That way, you won't be saddled with 'sinkers.'
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