EATING OUR FEELINGS
standards, starting with a whole chicken, a bit of dill, and cloves. “I like the clove because it adds a little spice” says Ostrow. “And I also enjoy the smell in my house while it’s cooking.” She instructs her family to simmer for hours. “The longer you cook it, the better it’s going to be,” Ostrow says. “That’s when you’re going to have that aroma and that brownish colour that’s lovely.” (There’s no one right way to make matzah ball soup. Though there is a wrong way. I loved my bubbe, but she was the worst cook. Her chicken soup contained no meat. Or matzah balls. Or salt. The chicken was removed and served on its own, with the rubbery skin attached.) After making the broth, shred- ding the meat, adding carrots and celery and, if they are truly making it to her specifications, caramelizing onions, her fami- ly brings the soup to Ostrow to eat on the sofa. The only down- side to this effort, the delivery of love and nourishment through cooking, is the mess they make in her kitchen. “They’re terrible,” laughs Ostrow. “It’s also prob- ably why my husband doesn’t want to cook. Because if he cooks, and he leaves a mess, then I go a little nuts.” Not that Ostrow is one of those chefs who cleans as they cook. “I like to create new dishes and taste flavours—to put mu- sic on and have a hundred in- gredients out. And then it has to be cleaned up the moment I’m done. Not by me. Unless it’s at my house. I have the luxury of owning a business. Because I pay all the bills, someone is go- ing to clean for me.”
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Place the chicken, cloves, and some of the dill in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. (Add- ing salt during the simmering will make the broth too salty once the liquid has reduced; do not add it un- til the end.) Reduce heat and sim- mer for two hours. (“But when you’re sick, you want it fast,” says Ostrow. “So an hour and a half at the mini- mum.”) Strain the stock and transfer the chicken to a bowl to cool. Return the chicken stock to the pot. 2. Meanwhile, place the onions in a wide pan with a splash of oil. Cook on low heat until caramelized — sticky, brown, and sweet — stirring only occasionally. (You’ll find many reci- pes online claiming that this can be done in 10 minutes. It can’t. These recipes are lying to you to make things seem easier. But doing this correctly requires no additional effort or skill, only time — at least 40 minutes. All you have to do is stir the pan gently every five or 10 minutes.) 3. In a mixing bowl, combine matzah meal, eggs, salt, and some herbs (I added what I had — dried orega- no and fresh parsley) until a dough forms. I used two eggs for one cup of matzah meal. Pour a little oil on your hands and shape the dough into golf-ball–sized spheres. Add the matzah balls to the strained soup, along with the carrots and celery, and simmer for 25 minutes. 4. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Shred the meat and return it to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pep- per. Serve with a spoon of caramel- ized onion in each bowl and garnish with a bit more dill.
CHICKEN SOUP WITH MATZAH BALLS SERVES 6 • whole chicken, cut into pieces • cloves (easily overpowering, so start with as few as possible) • fresh dill • onions, thinly sliced • olive oil
• carrots, sliced into coins • celery, roughly chopped • matzah meal • eggs • salt • pepper
5785 ַקִיץ 49
FOOD/PROP STYLING/PHOTOGRAPHY MARISA CURATOLO
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