Potato Leek Matzo Balls Recipes

LEEK AND GINGER MATZO BALLS IN LEMONGRASS CONSOMMé

Steps:

• For consommé:
• Place chicken in extra-large pot. Add next 7 ingredients, then enough cold water to cover (about 18 cups). Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer soup 2 hours, skimming impurities from surface. Let stand 30 minutes. Strain consommé into large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 8 cups, if necessary. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled (fat will form solid layer on top).
• For matzo balls:
• Whisk 4 eggs in medium bowl. Mix in leek, chicken fat, broth, coarse salt, ginger, and pepper. Stir in matzo meal. Cover; chill at least 4 hours.
• Using wet hands, shape generous 2 tablespoons matzo mixture into balls. Place on sheet of foil. Bring large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Drop in matzo balls; cover pot. Reduce heat to low; simmer until matzo balls are cooked through, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer matzo balls in single layer to shallow dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Rewarm consommé. Add more lemon juice by teaspoonfuls, if desired. Add matzo balls; simmer to reheat, 5 to 10 minutes. Divide matzo balls and consommé among 6 bowls. Garnish with chopped chives.
• What to drink:
• A fragrant white wine would be great with the consommé. We like the Yarden 2007 Gewürztraminer, a kosher wine made in Israel ($18).

NAVA ATLAS'S SPINACH, LEEK AND POTATO MATZO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook, bake or microwave the potatoes in their skins until just tender. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Cover the cashews with 1 cup of boiling water in a heatproof bowl and let stand for at least 15 minutes. Drain the cashews, then combine with the avocado and lemon juice in a food processor. Process until smoothly puréed; drizzle enough water through the feed tube while the processor is running to give the mixture a thick, creamy texture.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the leeks and sauté over medium-low heat until golden. Add the spinach in batches, covering and cooking until wilted to make room for all of it. Stir in the cashew cream, dill and matzo meal. Season with salt and pepper.
• Break each matzo in half, and place in a shallow container. Cover with room-temperature water in a shallow container until slightly pliable (don't let them get mushy), about 2 minutes; drain. Lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish.
• Layer the casserole as follows: line the bottom with a layer of matzos, using two matzos per layer. Follow with a layer of potato slices, half of the spinach mixture, and another layer of matzos. Repeat, ending with a layer of matzo.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden with spots of brown. Let stand for 10 minutes, then cut into squares to serve. If you will be topping with pine nuts, sprinkle them over the top about 10 minutes or so before the gratin is done, to allow them to get lightly toasted.

VEGAN MATZO BALL SOUP

Steps:

• Make the matzo balls: In a medium bowl, mix the matzo meal, potato starch, parsley, cilantro, ginger, dill, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the olive oil and enough chickpea liquid to make a slightly sticky mixture that's not too wet or loose, about the texture of oatmeal. (The matzo meal will absorb lots of the liquid.) Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• Make the broth: In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the carrots, celery, kohlrabi, leek, onion, olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
• When the matzo mix is cold, return the broth to a low simmer. Dip your hands in cold water and form 1 1/2-inch matzo balls, about the size of a large walnut. You should have about 20 matzo balls.
• Carefully drop the matzo balls into the broth, cover and simmer without disturbing them until tender but firm, about 20 minutes. Divide among bowls. Garnish with lots of fresh herbs, and, if you want more punch to your soup, serve with some zhug or harissa.