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Attention, young professionals: You’re probably too old for the Easter Bunny, but you can still get hopped up on spring holidays.
Ahhh, Springtime. Cue the appearance of little green buds on trees, the return of the bird chirp, and a necessary dose of vitamin D for our snow-white birthday suits. We’re excited. Not only is spring the perfect antidote for the winter blues, this time of year also delivers a fresh dose of delicious holidays that can be fun for all.
As if the parting of the Red Sea or the resurrection of J.C. weren’t enough to get you into the spirit, whipping up some holiday-inspired food is a great way to experience cultural festivities whether you be Christian, Jewish, or Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (yep, it’s a thing). Cadbury Mini Eggs are one such marvelous example, but we can get more creative, can’t we?
In spring festivus fashion, Notable has a great spring holiday recipe to jumpstart your cultural exploration and salivary glands: the one and only Matzo Ball Soup. Matzo is a centerpiece of tradition for the Jewish holiday of Passover, but on top of that, its soupy incarnation is simply delicious and deliciously simple. AND, it’s “Bubbie-approved!”
Fine, we might be too old for Bugs Bunny, but we’ll be damned if we don’t maximize on a foodie good time. Bon appetite, happy holidays, and have a spectacular start to spring.
FOOD TYPE: Vegetarian; contains eggs, contains gluten, dairy-free.
SERVINGS: 4-6
DIFFICULTY & TOTAL TIME: Moderate; two hours
Vegetable Stock
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
8 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
1 small fennel bulb, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped in half
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Lightly sauté garlic and chopped onion. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 5-7 minutes. Add 6 cups cold water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Stock can be made up to 3 days ahead. Let cool completely, then cover and chill, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Matzo Balls
Makes 8 to 12 matzo balls
1/2 cup matzo meal*
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons seltzer water
*If you can’t find matzo meal, pulse a few pieces of matzah in your food processor until it is a coarse powder.
Mix all matzo ball ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In a medium-sized pot, bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat.
With wet hands, form matzo balls by dropping spoonfuls of batter (approximately 1-inch in diameter) into your palm. Roll loosely to form small balls. One at a time, drop the balls into the simmering salt water. Cover the pot and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
About 10 minutes before the matzo balls are ready, bring prepared veggie stock to a simmer. Ladle a bit of broth and a couple matzo balls into each bowl and top with dill. Eat immediately.
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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