Category: Food
Candy or Cookie? You Be the Judge (Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle)

Candy or Cookie? You Be the Judge (Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle)

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Hello? Why didn’t someone tell me it was National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day…a couple of days ago? Yep, I missed it. Well, I almost missed it. As I was doing my late-night perusal of Instagram, what should pop up on my feed? A luscious-looking pic of chocolate chip cookies with the banner shouting out “Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!”.

WHAAT?

Damn it. If I had just gone to sleep instead of taking that last look at my feed. So there I was at midnight, guilted into making chocolate chip cookies. I envisioned myself staying up another couple of hours, baking off sheets of cookies one at a time (yes, I can’t bring myself to bake two sheets at once). UGH.

Then I remembered a recipe I had been wanting to try from Shauna Sever’s Midwest Made. Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle. It starts with melted butter, yay, no waiting for butter to come to room temp. The batter can be made in one bowl with a wooden spoon (ok, and a whisk), the finished dough is then spread on a baking sheet and popped in the oven. ONE SHEET, that’s it.

I Am So Making Them

Surprisingly, the recipe calls for granulated sugar and no eggs. I double-checked the recipe, yep, no eggs, and no brown sugar. Hmmm, interesting, I apprehensively plowed on.  It also started with melted butter, yay, no creaming.

I gathered the dry ingredients as the butter cooled and got out my 12×17 sided cookie sheet (classic 1/2 sheet pan).  Added sugar to the cooled melted butter and beat until it formed a loose paste.  Poured in the flour and vanilla, stirred to combine and followed with the toasted nuts (don’t skip toasting, 5-6 minutes in a 350-degree oven) and chocolate.

Not Gonna Lie

The worse part was spreading the dough in the pan.  Don’t do what I did, which was plop all the dough in the center of the sheet pan.  Spread it out a little so it is easier to cover the pan.  You want the dough to be as even and thin as possible.  The dough will be approximately the same thickness as the chips.  I used Guittard’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate (ginormous) chips but almost any chip would work in this cookie, bittersweet, milk chocolate, or a combination.  Likewise, walnuts would work in place of pecans.

The cookie baked in 22 minutes.  Be extra vigilant towards the end as they brown pretty quickly.  The recipe does not have brown sugar and calls for only granulated sugar.  It’s important to bake it to nice toasty brown which results in a crisp, toffee flavored cookie.  It’s addictive.  Crunchy cookie base, oozy chocolate, and toasted nuts.  It straddles the line between cookie and candy, another winner from Shauna Sever.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle

Is it a cookie? Is it a candy? You decide! Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle is delicious.
Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 cup (170 g) chopped pecans lightly toasted, can sub walnuts
  • 1 cup (170 g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips 60% cacao

Instructions

  • Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F Have ready a 12 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet. You do not need to grease or cover with parchment.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and vanilla. Add the sugar and salt and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and appears pastelike. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and mix in the flour. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.
  • Press the mixture into the ungreased pan in a thin, even layer (use the chocolate chips as your height barometer—try to get them in as close to a single layer as possible throughout the dough, and you’ll have the right thickness). Alternatively, spread the dough in the pan, scatter chocolate chips and nuts on top and press into dough, leaing someexposed on top.
  • Bake for 23 to 25 minutes (start checking at 20 minutes), or until light golden brown and the edges a bit darker than the center (mine were pretty uniformly brown ), rotate the pan 180 degrees every 7 to 8 minutes during baking. Let cool completely before breaking into irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Asian Soul Food: Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms

Asian Soul Food: Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms

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Dinner in the Time of COVID.  I find myself not just cooking more but cooking more of the dishes I grew up eating.  Favorite dishes that my father and grandfather cooked for us.  We all need a little bit of comfort these days, ain’t that the truth.

A favorite in our house is Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage and Mushrooms.  This time it was part of a meal that is as down-home as it gets.  We started with Kid-favorite Corn Soup,  Steamed Pork with Salted Egg, and Sauteed Asparagus.  I was exhausted from all the prep!  How my Dad pulled off dinners like this nightly after a full day’s work, continues to amaze me.

The keys to Delicious Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms

Use bone-in chicken if possible.  The flavor is better when the meat is left on the bone…is there a scientific reason? Who knows, but I’m not about to buck my dad’s advice.  But, don’t let that stop you from making this dish, by all means, if all you have is boneless chicken, use it.  It will still be onolicious.  I like to use wings, but any part of the chicken will work.  Breast meat is a little trickier, it is less forgiving than dark meat and can overcook. 

Chinese Sausage

Also known as Lop Cheung, a delicious sweet and slightly savory preserved meat that is found in tons of Chinese dishes.  I love Lop Cheung, when I am craving an easy comfort dish, I’ll throw a couple on top of the rice right before turning on my rice cooker, as the rice cooks so do the Lop Cheung.    You can find Lop Cheung at most Asian markets and at some of the larger supermarkets in the Bay Area.  There are several different varieties including pork, pork & chicken, and pork & liver.  Unless you grew up with Chinese Sausage, stay away from the liver one which is gamier and stronger in flavor.  The meat is marinated, stuffed into casings, set to dry, and then kept cool.  I still head to SF Chinatown to buy my Lop Cheung from Mow Lee or Wycen.   Old School all the way.

I hope they survive COVID19.  

Pre-cook stage

The Dried Stuff

Dried Shiitake or Black Mushrooms, Cloud Ears (Dried Fungus), and Lilly Buds or Golden Needles round out the dish.  Soak the dry ingredients in warm water 15-30 minutes until soft.  Each provides flavor and texture to the dish.

Shiitake Mushrooms  Back in the day, shiitakes only came in dried form.  Nowadays you can get fresh shiitake mushrooms easily, they’re delicious BUT for the most part, in Chinese cooking we use the dried form.  Why? Concentrated flavor.  The flavor of the mushroom is intensified and that flavor is essential to the dish.  Soak the mushrooms first, (keep the soaking liquid for stocks and soups), trim the stems that can be kind of woody, and slice into desired thickness.

Cloud Ears or Black Fungus is just another kind of mushroom.  It doesn’t have a ton of its own flavor but adds texture, in the form of CRUNCH and absorbs the flavor of the marinade-YUM.  After soaking, pinch the stem-tip off.  The tip is where the stem connected to the tree, it’s a little crusty.  

Lily buds add an earthy flavor and texture.  After soaking the lily buds, pinch or cut off the ends (it will look a little darker than the rest of the bud and tie a knot in the middle of each strand.  Yeah, don’t know why, but I do it because my Dad told me to.

Don’t forget to add the green onions and cilantro at the end.

There you go, all the components to a down-home soul food dish.  

Microwave Madness 

Microwave directions

I bought microwave cookware, Anyday Cookware, on Dave Chang’s recommendation (Mr. Momofuku), boy, that guy can sell a product.  Pros and cons? Pros-no steamer set up, no pan with water, hassle-free steam cooking, and one bowl cooking. Cooking time cut by more than half.  Cons?  Finding space to store new bowls plus a major hit on latte money, lol.

Anyways, follow the same steps until you get to the point of putting the dish* in the steamer.  Instead, *put all your ingredients into a microwave cooking container and forget the steamer. 

Cover, vent, and place your dish in the microwave.  My microwave’s power output is 700watts (which is on the low side).  For this dish, I use full power for about 8 minutes.  You will have to adjust according to your microwave wattage.  The Anyday site has an interactive basic guide that allows input of wattage to determine cooking power and time.  In general, if your microwave wattage is higher, shorten the cooking time or reduce the power level and keep the same time.  You will need to experiment a little with your microwave.  I add 1-2 tablespoons of the saved mushroom liquid so I’ll have some sauce in the dish.

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Steamed Chicken with Lop Cheung and Mushrooms

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Steamed Chicken
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds chicken breast or combination of chicken pieces, bone-in cut into bite-sized pieces or chicken wings separated into drummettes and flats.
  • 2 Chinese sausages thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 3-4 black mushrooms soaked in warm water until soft and julienned
  • 2 Tbsp Cloud ears soaked and root ends pinched off
  • 12 Lily buds soaked, ends pinched off and a knot tied in the middle, skip the knot tying if you want
  • 1-2 stalks green onions cut into 1-inch pieces, reserve some of the green part to finish the dish
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro for garnish

Marinade

  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce AP Pref chinese LKK Premium Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce LEE KUM KEE with the kid and mom in boat
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine or Chinese Rice Wine
  • 2 slices ginger julienned
  • 2 tsp oil I like peanut oil, but any vegetable oil will work
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2-1 tsp sesame oil optional, if you have it, definitely use it
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients for marinade.
  • Add chicken, mushrooms, sausage, cloud ears and lily buds to marinade. Stir to combine well. Marinade for 15- 30 minutes. Place in a heatproof dish such as a shallow bowl or pie plate. Top with some of the diced green onions.
  • In a steamer or a stainless wok, set up steamer rack, fill with water up to but not touching the steamer rack. Place on heat and bring to boil.
  • Place chicken on steamer rack.
  • Steam for 25-30 minutes. Watch water level in pan, do not let it dry out.
  • Garnish with cilantro and extra green onions. Serve with plenty of rice.

Notes

If you don't have lily buds omit, don't make a special trip.  You can also place the ingredients on rehydrated lotus leaves (usually used as a wrap.  It imparts a nice flavor to the chicken.
Other additions dried red dates 2-3 soaked and smashed.  Add with mushrooms.
Cinco De Mayo Dinner in the Time of COVID

Cinco De Mayo Dinner in the Time of COVID

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A brief moment of escape from the reality of our world right now to enjoy a Margarita and celebrate Cinco de Mayo.  I got the last bottle of Margarita Mix at TJs and unintentionally created a Cinco de Mayo dinner that looked like an ad campaign for kitchen appliances. Tortilla press for homemade tortillas (so fun), food processor for salsa (so easy), an Instant Pot for Carnitas (so fast), and finally my rice cooker for Mexican Rice (so true, a rice cooker, lol).

I pulled out my tortilla press for a low tech appliance start to stamp those flour tortillas.  I prefer corn tortillas but the fam outvoted me, I didn’t have any Masa Harina anyways. LOL. The King Arthur Flour website was my first stop for a recipe for tortillas.  I found their recipe for Simple Tortillas and I was in business.

The Tortillas

The dough comes together quickly. I used shortening.

The tortilla is simple and contains flour, salt, shortening or oil, and water.  It comes together quickly and is kind of fun to make, especially if you have a tortilla press.  This is a no-brainer fun cooking project with your kids or when without kid but you are abiding by SIP orders for a pandemic.  Find the recipe for Simple Tortillas on King Arthur Flour here.

 

 

 

The dough is divided into 8 pieces. Keep them covered or oiled while you press each flat. This is the tricky part, I tried both a cut-up Ziploc bag and parchment in the press and they still stuck a little.  I ended up dusting each ball of dough with flour to help keep it from sticking.

When the tortilla starts to bubble, flip it over.

Ta-Da! Homemade tortillas are thicker and fluffier than commercial products. These were warm, chewy, and tasty-yum!

Carnitas

Carnitas are probably my favorite taco, burrito, anything filling.  Love em’ and since I had a pound of pork in the fridge and it was Cinco de Mayo. Yep,  no-brainer, Carnitas Tacos for dinner.  Found a tasty recipe on Simply Happy Foodie for small-batch carnitas in a 3 quart Instant Pot. I threw it all in my 6-quart pot which worked fine.  Next time I am doubling or tripling the recipe, that good.

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Instant Pot Carnitas

Delicious Carnitas made in half the time in an Instant Pot!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Carnitas in an Instant Pot
Prep Time 15 minutes

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsps Olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Cumin
  • 2 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika or reg
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1/8 tsp Cayenne Powder use 1/4 tsp or more for spicier
  • 1 to 1-1/2 lbs Pork Shoulder / Pork Butt * cut in 3" chunks
  • 1/2 small Onion chopped
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1/2 Cinnamon Stick about 2-3 inches long
  • 4 cloves Garlic finely chopped or minced
  • 1/2 cup Orange Juice or Pineapple Juice

Instructions

  • Combine oil, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, coriander powder, and cayenne pepper in a medium size bowl. Mix well.
  • Add the pork to the spice mixture and toss to cover all of the meat with the mixture.
  • Press Saute button on Instant Pot. If you can adjust the heat, use high or more on your pot. When display reads “Hot” add the meat. Cook until browned on all sides, but not done. Remove from pot and set aside.
  • Add onion, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick and cook until onions are tender, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze (get those brown bits off the bottom) Add a small amount of water to help the deglazing.
  • Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds, stirring constantly.
  • Add the pineapple juice or orange juice and stir.
  • Add the meat back in to the pot and just nestle it down into the juice (it won't be covered).
  • Place the lid on the pot and set the Steam Release Knob to Sealing.
  • Cancel the Sauté function by pressing Cancel
  • Press the Pressure Cook button and set the time to 30 minutes.
  • When the cooking cycle has ended, let it sit for 15 minutes. It will start naturally releasing the pressure.
  • Turn the steam release knob to Venting and release any remaining steam/pressure. There may not be any left, and that's okay. When the pin in the lid drops down it is safe to open the lid.
  • BEFORE you stir, take a spoon or a small measuring cup and skim off the extra fat that is on top and discard. It's a lot easier doing it this way than pouring it into a fat separator!
  • Stir the meat and transfer just the meat to a sheet pan with sides or ovenproof dish. Reserve sauce. Using two forks, shred the meat and spread on baking sheet.
  • Broil the carnitas to get those nice crispy bits. Slide them under the broiler until they reach the desired crispness. Watch carefully it will go fast!
  • Garnish with sour cream, salsa, cilantro, diced white onions or green onions, avocado, and serve with those warm delicious homemade tortillas.

The Salsa

A quick and super easy salsa that starts with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes in a can!  I posted this for Cinco de Mayo a couple of years ago.  It is my go-to salsa.  Find it here!

 

 

 

 

Mexican Rice

I adapted this recipe from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless.  It is right up my alley since it is made in a rice cooker, the only way I know how to make rice.  It’s easy and delicious.  I use half of the quick salsa to make Mexican Rice, and the rest to serve.

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Mexican Red Rice

Classic Mexican Red Rice made in a rice cooker, so easy, so delicious
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Meican Red Rice, Rice Cooker
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes

Equipment

  • Rice Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1½ tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
  • 1½ cups white rice
  • 1 cup homemade quick salsa commercial salsa will work also
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • salt to taste start with 1/2 tsp
  • 1½ cups frozen peas optional
  • 1 /2 can roasted chilis 4oz you know the mild kind in the little cans, optional
  • 1-2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Instructions

  • Heat a medium (3 quart) ovenproof saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the oil. When it is hot add garlic and fry for 1 minute to soften. Add rice and stir frequently until the grains of rice turn from translucent to milky-white – don’t worry if some of them brown.
  • Pour sauteed rice mixture into rice cooker pot.
  • Add the salsa, chicken broth, chilis, ½ tsp salt and cumin. Set to cook.
  • Fluff the rice and mix in the peas. Adjust the salt to taste, then serve
Very Good, Very Inn, The DoubleTree Cookie

Very Good, Very Inn, The DoubleTree Cookie

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I LOVE my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.  I have been using it for years, folks who try them have asked for the recipe to which I give the standard “if I give it to you I will have to kill you” line, jk.  Although I did finally give in and post my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, which you can find here.  Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean I won’t try other CCC recipes, on the contrary, I can’t resist trying new ones.  In fact, one of my favorites is the Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies from David Lebovitz, the Tahini paste adds both taste and texture, it’s really yummy.

During the COVID crisis, Hilton Hotels has generously released the recipe for their famous DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Their signature cookies are doled out at check-in.  Everyone clamors over these cookies, who doesn’t like a warm cookie with oozy melted chocolate?  Yeah, I don’t see any hands going up.  They are delicious-warm, gooey, crispy edges, chock full of nuts and chocolate, perfect with an ice-cold glass of milk, a cup of coffee, or by themselves.

Thank you, Hilton and DoubleTree for sharing

So, of course, I baked a batch.  I noticed that the recipe is very similar to my recipe.  Coincidence? I think, heck yeah.  Interestingly, the recipe includes a bit of lemon juice (to help cookies rise?) and a dash of cinnamon.

I followed the recipe EXACTLY, well, except for the chocolate chips, I didn’t have any Nestle’s so I used Guittard Semi-sweet Chocolate wafers, chopped (could explain why hubby thought they were too chocolatey) and also pecans, a trade-off since I was NOT going to go to the market just for walnuts.  Baking in the time of a pandemic.

Light and fluffy (2 minutes)

This is a pretty classic how-to cookie-making directions.  The recipe is explicit regarding the length of time to cream the butter and sugar.  It makes a BIG difference in the final texture of your cookies.  I bake a lot of cookies and I am still nervous about how they will turn out.  So many variables-the temperature of the butter, how to cream the butter and sugar, kind of flour, and how much flour is added…I could go on but just thinking about it is making me anxious!  Serious Eats has a fantastic primer on Cookie Science, WELL WORTH the read.

The smartest thing I can say is to FOLLOW the directions if you want the cookies to turn out like the original.  Cream that butter and sugar for the two minutes the recipe calls for.  Start with butter that is not too hard or soft, the scientist in me says take your butter’s temp, it should be around 60-65 degrees.  Don’t bring your eggs to room temp before adding them to your batter.  Creaming the butter and sugar causes heat and warms the butter.  You don’t want it to melt, you worked too hard creating air pockets in the dough that translates to a “light” tender cookie. Adding the cold egg will help keep the temperature from increasing and melting the butter-it’s a good thing.

After adding the dry ingredients

Once you add the dry ingredients, continue to stir until you don’t see any flour. Make sure to scrape down your bowl.  Another note, if the author of the recipe calls for a specific brand of flour, take that into account.  I use King Arthur Flour, but a lot of recipes are tested using Gold Medal due to its availability (Example-Stella Parks and her Peanut Butter Cookies ). This will affect your cookie due to the protein content of the flour.  I’m guessing I could have taken a smidge of flour out of this recipe for a softer, gooier cookie.   Don’t overbeat as this will develop the gluten leading to a tough cookie.  You wanna be a tough cookie, not make a tough cookie.

Portion out the dough as directed into 3 tablespoons balls.   Use an ice cream scoop for this (#24), you will not only get the right size and thickness cookie but nice “purdy” round cookies.  The volume of dough definitely influences the cookie spread.

Like crevices in your cookies?  About 3-4 minutes before the cookies are finished baking, rap the cookie sheet on the wire oven rack.  This will cause the cookie to deflate and give it that craggy, uneven look.  Yep, known as the pan-banging method.

Stoked, my new cookie box, courtesy of the hubster and his woodworking talents

I marvel at how bakeries can churn out cookies on a daily basis, not by how they are so delicious but how they are so consistently the same.  I’m hoping some of these tips will help.  My favorite bakery in Los Gatos (currently closed due to COVID) is Icing on the Cake they make fabulous cookies.  I will be the first in line when they reopen, their cookies are so good, so consistent.

Now go bake!

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DoubleTree Signature Cookie Recipe

Yes, THOSE, Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies. Why everyone stays at Doubletrees.
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chips, Doubletree Inn
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 26 cookies

Ingredients

The Fat & Sugar Mix

  • ½ pound butter, unsalted softened (2 sticks)
  • ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar

The Wet Stuff

  • 2 large eggs cold
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

The Dry Stuff

  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats old-fashioned or quick, NOT instant
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch cinnamon about 1/8 tsp

The Finish, The Bling

  • 2 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Nestle Tollhouse
  • 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts sub pecans or nit of choice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300°F.
  • Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Will be light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and ribbon-like, scraping down bowl.
  • With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix.
  • Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
  • Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. (#24 ice cream scoop)
  • Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
  • Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.

Notes

Cook’s note: You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 300°F and place frozen cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
Guilt Free Shopping- Farmer’s Market Soup

Guilt Free Shopping- Farmer’s Market Soup

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My guilty pleasure during the time of COVID has been Sunday morning outings to our local farmer’s market. A chance to get out of the house and meet a friend.  Not to worry we are adhering to the CDC guidelines for masks, distance, and handwashing.  For the most part fellow shoppers at the market are doing the same.  We do a quick perusal of the market, decide what we want, shop, and then go and sit on the retaining wall to chat and drink our coffee, all in our six-foot bubble.

As winter fades and the market blossoms with an array of beautiful fruits and vegetables…

I Can’t Resist

I’m like a kid in a candy store, I want everything I see, I end up with way too many fruits and veggies for the week.  Friday rolled around and I still had a crisper full of fruits and veggies from last Sunday’s market.  If I wanted a guilt-free excursion to the market this coming weekend I had better empty that fridge now.

I took inventory-a bunch of broccoli, a couple of florets of cauliflower, half an onion, a lonely leek, two potatoes, hmmm this has the makings of delicious soup.  I pulled out the frozen homemade chicken stock I had squirreled away a couple of weeks ago and I was in business.

Farmer’s Market Soup

This soup starts much like my favorite soup, Potato Leek Soup.  I dice the onions, leeks, potatoes, smash a couple of cloves of garlic, and separate the broccoli and cauliflower into manageable florets.  I heat my pot, add a knob of butter and a swig of olive oil, and sauteed my onions and leeks until soft.  Season with salt, add garlic cloves and saute for a couple of minutes before adding the stock.  Pile your broccoli, cauliflower. and potatoes into the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the veggies or super tender.  If I had seen the half bag of spinach left in the fridge, I would have thrown that in too. How easy is that?

At the Finish Line

Once it is finished simmering, puree the soup either by carefully transferring the soup to a blender or using a hand blender.  Make sure the head of your hand blender is fully immersed in the soup or you will end up painting your walls or worse, splattering yourself with hot soup, nooooo.  Blend to desired consistency, less for a chunky country soup or more until “souper” smooth-your choice.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, throw it in a bowl and you’re done.  The potatoes thicken the soup naturally but you could still add some heavy whipping cream (the taste bump is self-explanatory) or even yogurt/sour cream.  Stir in some shredded cheese for a Broccoli and Cheese Soup.  You’re done!  Assemble a nice cheese board, grab a glass of wine, your loaf of No-Knead Bread, and ENJOY.

Dress the Soup, Toppings a Bowl

Hello?!  Of course, you need toppings on your soup.

A swirl of yogurt or sour cream and some chives or green onions.

A sprinkling of shredded cheese, especially if you have added cheese to your soup.

Toasted croutons or a baguette slice with melted cheese.

I garnish with a little lemon zest too, just for a little zing.

Everyone’s fav, crispy CRUMBLED BACON.  So good.

And that’s how you get ready for guilt-free shopping at the Farmer’s Market this coming weekend!

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Farmer's Market Soup

An easy, tasty soup made from the veggies in your fridge! Healthy and delicious
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Broccoli Soup, soup, Vegetable Soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Hand blender

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 onion diced or 1/2 onion if you using leeks
  • 1 leek white part only, washed and thinly sliced
  • 4 cups chicken broth or stock homemade or low sodium commercial broth
  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1-1/2 pounds broccoli florets ~2 bunches of broccoli, cauliflower works too
  • 2 potatoes, any kind peeled and diced into large cubes
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded (or other cheese of choice)
  • 1/2 cup cream or milk

Instructions

  • Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and leeks saute for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and saute for additional minute
  • Add broth/water, broccoli, potato, salt and pepper. Bring just to a boil, turn the heat down to medium, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the broccoli is soft.
  • Turn heat off (but leave on stove). Puree using a stick blender until desired consistency
  • Stir in cream or milk then or add cheese, stirring to melt. All optional, all good.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed
  • Ladle into bowls.

Garnishes

  • Sour cream or yogurt
  • Chopped Chives
  • Shredded cheese
  • Crispy crumbled bacon (family favorite)
  • Serve with nice crusty bread and glass of wine.
Do You Tteokbokki? Spicy Korean Rice Cakes

Do You Tteokbokki? Spicy Korean Rice Cakes

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‘My fondest memories of traveling abroad, not surprisingly, revolve around food.  It started when my parents sent me on a summer exchange program in Taiwan for Chinese American college kids.  While our parents envisioned us hard at work learning Mandarin and Chinese culture, we were sneaking out to the night markets to eat, hooking up with newfound friends, and in general, having a good time.  A documentary made about the program says it all, Love Boat Taiwan.  My introduction to a whole new world of food, culture, and fun.

From the food stalls in Taipei long ago to the markets in Seoul and Osaka most recently; I have feasted on oyster omelets and dumplings (Xiao Lung Bao), Gimbap (Korean rice rolls), Galguksuk (hand-cut noodles), Hotteok (rice pancakes with sweet or savory fillings) and tteokbokki (rice cakes in a sweet and spicy sauce).  I have sampled Takoyaki (Fried Octopus fritters), Kaarage (fried chicken), Gyoza (Potstickers), and Manju (rice cakes) from tiny makeshift kiosks, so delicious.  A trip after college found me relishing the variety of Hawker Fare food in Singapore. Nonya, Indian, Muslim, Chinese dishes all in one spot. Who hasn’t drooled over the Hainanese Chicken enjoyed by Rachel and Nick in Crazy Rich Asians, all cheap and delicious.  Street markets are soul food.  Homey, simple, flavorful dishes remind me of family gatherings around the dinner table.

But, it’s not just about the food, it’s about getting a taste of daily life and culture-sitting next to that businessman as he hurriedly slurps his noodles down before going back to work  Watching the vendors entice their next customer with their hand-pulled noodles or steaming dumplings. Or amusedly watching school children clamoring for their afterschool snack of gimbap or bao from the corner vendor.

That’s My Favorite Part of Traveling

Dreaming about our travels last year has me hungry for the delicious street food we discovered. We took in a baseball game in Incheon and in place of traditional fries and hot dogs, we enjoyed Tteokbokki and KFC (Korean Fried Chicken).  The Tteokbokki, spicy, sweet, and chewy was served on sticks with cute little hot dogs.  I love watching baseball, it reminded me of watching a minor league game, lots of zaniness, fans with broomsticks, and cheerleaders to egg them on.  The icing on the “rice”cake was the food and walk-up music for each batter.

Crazy Fun Baseball Game in Korea

I’ve taken to hunting for recipes to make these tasty tidbits and I found, Korean Bapsang, an absolutely great site with a treasure trove of Korean recipes that are easy to follow and 정말 맛있다 (really delicious)!

You can buy rice cakes and fish cakes in most Asian markets as well as the other needed spices. I didn’t have fish cakes for a batch, so I chose the next best thing in my pantry, SPAM.  Don’t laugh, it was pretty good!  Cook the rice cakes in an anchovy stock or water seasoned with Gochugaru (chili powder), Gochujang (chili paste), and corn syrup.  Fish cakes, cabbage, and onions round out the dish.   It takes all of 15 minutes to make.  A perfect snack while watching a Giants game or my favorite K-drama.

The Recipe

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Tteokbokki - Sweet & Spicy Rice Cakes

Tteokbokki, a popular Korean snack, are rice cakes in a spicy-sweet sauce found at street markets, fast food kiosks and baseball games!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Korean Snack, Rice Cakes, Tteokbokki
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tteokbokki tteok 떡볶이 떡 about 24 3-inch long rice cake pieces - See note.
  • 1 sheet eomuk 어묵 fish cake - aka oden or SPAM! or Japanese fishcake
  • 4 ounces green cabbage yangbaechu 양배추
  • 1 - 2 scallions optional
  • 3 cups anchovy broth or water or any fish broth/dashi
  • 3 tablespoons Korean red chili pepper paste gochujang 고추장
  • 1-2 teaspoons Korean red chili pepper flakes gochugaru 고추가루 preferably finely ground)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar or use 1 tablespoon if you like it less sweet
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Instructions

  • Make fish broth if using. Soak the rice cakes for about 20 minutes if hardened or refrigerated. Cut the fish cake, cabbage, and scallions into about 2-inch long pieces.
  • Add the anchovy broth (or water) to a large pan. Stir in the sauce ingredients. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the red chili pepper paste (gochujang).
  • Add rice cakes, boil until the rice cakes become very soft and the sauce is thickened, about 8 - 10 minutes. Stir frequently so the rice cakes don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add cabbage, green onions (optional) and fish cakes. Continue to boil, stirring constantly, for an additional 4 - 6 minutes. Depending on your rice cakes, it may need more time to reach a desired level of softness. Add more broth or water as necessary. Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can find tteokbokki rice cakes fresh, refrigerated, or frozen at Korean markets. Locally made fresh rice cakes are the best ones to use, but good quality refrigerated ones are okay too. Try avoiding frozen ones if you have other options.
 Tteokbokki doesn't reheat well in the microwave. Reheat any leftovers, along with a little bit of broth or water, in a small pan over low heat.
Don't have eomuk use the Japanese fish cakes-kamaboko or even surimi (imitation crab legs).
Focaccia: The Deb Breadbake Trio-Take Three

Focaccia: The Deb Breadbake Trio-Take Three

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Yes. In the Time of COVID, where the staple shelves at the supermarket look like a scene out of Mad Max, I still have flour and yeast.  Now don’t get your Hot Crossed Buns in a bunch, in all fairness, I normally have lots of flour and yeast on hand.  I love to bake.  Although, after 3 batches of Focaccia, I find myself perusing my King Arthur Flour wishlist to see if yeast or flour have made it back on their virtual shelves.  Bread has become an obsession for me and so many others.  The result of staying home and harkening to a simpler time.

The trio of Focaccia I tried were all pretty good but one stood out, Serious Eats No-Knead Olive-Rosemary Focaccia with Pistachios.  But they’re all excellent.  I’ve included links to the two “runner-ups” since they are both totally worth making.  My favorite is the finale of this post along with the full recipe.  Enjoy!

Foccacia Number One

From Kitchn, a recipe for No-Knead Focaccia that takes the least amount of time of the three we tried.  It does start with a food processor which makes quick work of making the dough.  The dough needs to sit for only 2-3 hours before spreading the dough in a 10-inch iron skillet, letting it rest for 30-40 minutes before baking.

I put the dough in the fridge overnight before proceeding.  The dough did not rise as much as expected, operator error?  Overzealous pressing it into the skillet?  Too long in the fridge?  Dense and chewy, reminiscent of pizza crust with a nice flavor from the garlic and rosemary.  I’d like to try this recipe again, wondering if I had compressed it too much or inadvertently used water that was too hot.  If it didn’t rise any more I’d just use it to make mindbogglingly good pizza.  Oh, and my skillet is probably wider than the classic 10″ inch iron skillet, did I pat down my dough too much?  My inquiring mind wants to know.

Guess I’ll have to bake more Focaccia

 

Focaccia Number Two

Back In the day, Jenny Jones was a singer, comedian and talk show host…now she does cooking and baking videos from home.  Go figure. How I stumbled upon her site, I don’t know, but her No-Knead Focaccia Bread is pretty darn good.  Easy to make, the end result leans towards a pizza-like consistency, chewy inside with nice air bubbles with an exterior that was a wonderful toasty brown and so crispy.  She describes her Focaccia aptly, “This is no ordinary focaccia. It’s not the soft kind that you bake in a pan. This is focaccia the way I like it: thin and crispy. It’s like a slice of pizza without the pizza stuff”  The search was still on for that soft, pillowy texture of classic Focaccia.  Still, this was so good, I’d make it again in a heartbeat (if it wasn’t for my hipspread, lol)  You will need a pizza stone or steel to bake this on.

Above is what the dough looks like after resting in the bowl.  It doubled in size.

Below is after tucking (folding) the dough under a couple of times

The finished Focaccia! Airy and springy and soft inside, crispy and chewy on the outside, it’s delicious.

And the winner is…Serious Eats No-Knead Olive Rosemary Focaccia with Pistachios

I think we have found a Focaccia recipe that my entire quarantined family likes!  Serious Eats Focaccia by Kenji-Alt Lopez has that soft, pillowy texture inside like traditional Focaccia and a nice crispy outside.  With that first bite, we were all nodding our heads-this is it!  Not a moment too soon as my bread flour supply is dangerously low.

Start the day BEFORE you want bread on the table, like all no-knead bread, time takes the place of kneading.  We did not use olives or pistachios.  Quarantine forces improvisation, instead, we used cherry tomatoes, garlic, red onions, and rosemary from our herb box.  A tasty combination.  Feel free to add your own toppings! #Lunchleftovers found me making Ottolenghi’s Charred Tomatoes with Labneh to dip into with my focaccia-absofrigginlutely delish.

This is the Serious Eats dough after resting 12 hours, at most, it tripled in size but more like two and half times (pure eyeball measurement).  My bowl was plenty big enough.  I thought it would rise more and was a bit worried, but the Focaccia turned out beautifully.  Sorry, I will not doubt the master Kenji Alt-Lope again!


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Olive Rosemary Focaccia with Pistachios

Delicious, easy to make No-Knead Focaccia from Serious Eats
Course Breads
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Homemade No-knead focaccia
Prep Time 15 minutes
12 hours
Servings 10

Equipment

  • iron skillet

Ingredients

  • 500 grams all-purpose or bread flour 17 1/2 ounces, about 3 1/4 cups, prefer bread flour
  • 15 grams kosher salt .5 ounces, about 1 tablespoon Diamond brand) reduce by a third if using Mortons
  • 4 grams instant yeast .15 ounces, about 1 teaspoon
  • 325 grams water 11 1/2 ounces, about 1 1/2 cups minus 1 tablespoon
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 4 ounces pitted green olives sliced
  • 1/4 cup roasted pistachios roughly chopped or lightly pounded in a mortar and pestle
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves very roughly chopped
  • Coarse sea salt

Alternate Toppings

  • thinly sliced red onion
  • fresh thyme leaves
  • cherry tomatoes, halved
  • garlic, slivers

Instructions

  • Place flour, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl. Mix with hands or a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. The bowl should be at least 4 times the volume of the dough to account for rising.
  • Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, making sure that edges are well-sealed, then let rest on the countertop for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Dough should rise dramatically and fill bowl, although mine did not rise that dramatically, it spread more than rise.
  • Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour, then transfer it to a lightly-floured work surface. With well-floured hands, form into a ball by tucking the dough underneath itself.
  • Pour half of oil (1/8 cup)in the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or large cake pan (your Le Creuset or Staub pan would be perfect)Transfer dough to pan, turn to coat in oil, and position seam-side-down. Using a flat palm, press the dough around the skillet, flattening it slightly and spreading oil around the entire bottom and edges of the pan.
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough stand at room temperature for 2 hours. After the first hour, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 550°F. My oven only goes to 500 degrees, this works fine. It actually baked in about the same amount of time, but you may need to go at least the full 24 minutes at 500 degrees.
  • At the end of the 2 hours, dough should mostly fill the skillet up to the edge. Use your fingertips to press it around until it fills every corner, popping any large bubbles that appear. Lift up one edge of the dough to let any air bubbles underneath escape and repeat, moving around the dough until there are no air bubbles left underneath and the dough is evenly spread around the skillet.
  • Spread olives and pistachios or your choice of toppings, over the surface of the dough and press down on them with your fingertips to embed slightly. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and coarse salt.
  • Transfer skillet to oven and bake until top is golden toasty brown and bottom is golden brown and crisp when you peek underneath, 16 to 24 minutes. Using a thin spatula, loosen focaccia and peek underneath.
  • Transfer to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, slice, and serve. Serve with cheesy butter or Ottolenghis tomatoes and Labneh, so good.
  • Extra bread can be stored in a brown paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Midwest Made Banana Bread

Midwest Made Banana Bread

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Yes, I tried yet another banana bread recipe.  Unlike biscuits, I am not in search of the best banana bread in the universe.  I LIKE the recipe I have for banana bread.  AND yet, like Pavlov’s Dogs, I see a banana bread recipe and I get an overwhelming urge to try it.  Go figure.  Such was the case with Shauna Sever’s banana bread recipe from her book Midwest Made.

In my defense, her BB (please, can I just abbreviate for expedience) was getting rave reviews on Food52 and I did have overripe bananas. I have baked a couple of goodies from the book and all were pretty darn good.  Her Donut Loaf was a big hit with family and friends as were the jam bars.  The book is filled with recipes that are familiar, comforting, and delicious. Treats we have all grown up with, brownies, cookie jar gems, cobblers, and pies-desserts with roots in the Heartland. Right now that’s what it is all about…

Comfort in the Time of COVID-19

The book is a gem and perfect for the times.  If you would like a copy, I have links to Indie Bookstores that could really use your patronage.  In Los Angeles please order from Now Serving LA, and in the Bay Area, Books Inc. (Free delivery!).  A little further away, the iconic institution, Powells City of Books is also delivering (free shipping).  I’m not sure if Omnivore Books in the City has it in stock, but they have a fantastic selection of cookbooks, check it out.  They are also taking orders, shipping, or curbside pick-up.

Back to Banana Bread

What sets Midwest Made’s BB is a crunchy, sweet, coat of sugar on the top of the bread.  Novel.  You wet your fingers and rub the sugar around until it gets clumpy and scatter them on the BB batter.  This creates the crunchy top of the bread, genius.

The loaf comes out of the oven picture-perfect.  The bread has a nice texture with the added crunch of sweet topping.  My bottle of rum was missing in action, a victim of Shelter In Place perhaps, too bad,  the Rum might have cut some of the sweetness or made the flavor a little more complex.  Next time I would add Rum or nuts to the recipe to balance the sweetness.

The recipe uses oil as the fat which makes it super easy and quick to throw together.  The dry ingredients are combined and folded into the wet.  Try not to overmix (mantra), the batter will be lumpy and pourable.  This is essentially a one-bowl, one spoon or spatula, recipe.  How easy is that?

Pour the batter into a 9×5 loaf pan and make the sugar topping.

I would add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter or the sugar topping.  The sugar is the kicker.

I was amazed that the sugar didn’t melt into the batter but remained formed and crunchy.

I liked this recipe and would make it again but does it replace my Best Damn Banana Bread recipe, probably not.

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The Only Banana Bread You’ll Ever Need from Midwest Made

Course quick breads
Cuisine American
Keyword Banana Bread
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum optional
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling
  • 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped

Instructions

  • Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 325-degrees F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper with a couple of inches overhang on 2 opposite sides.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, eggs, rum (if using) and vanilla.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  • Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Dampen your fingertips with water and work them into the sugar until it just begins to look like snow-if you pinch some, it should just barely hold together. Sprinkle the dampened sugar over the batter, aiming to get it clumped up together in spots.
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool for twenty minutes in the pan, then use the parchment paper to help lift the loaf out of the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

 
Melting Pot, Instant Pot, Matzo Ball Soup

Melting Pot, Instant Pot, Matzo Ball Soup

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In the time of COVID-19 seems like we are all craving comfort food.  I find myself yearning for dishes like soups, stews, foods from my childhood, and all things carb seems to be my mantra.  Apparently, I’m not the only one, bread baking has become a national pastime making it really difficult to find flour and yeast.

My cooking and baking reflect my Californian roots. A typical day “in the life of” will find us having an All-American breakfast of bacon and eggs, followed by a Carne Asada Burrito or lamb shawarma for lunch, and sushi or pho for dinner.  I’m lucky to live in such a diverse community-a melting pot.

Hmmm, ultimate comfort food.  Let the Soup Games begin

On an overcast, gray day last week, I had a hankering for a big steamy bowl of soup.  I had just wished friends a Happy Passover so I had matzo ball soup on the brain. I pulled out a fresh chicken from the Korean grocery store, a variety of vegetables I had picked up at the Farmer’s Market, and my Instant Pot.

Insta-Matzo Ball Soup-Pot

The recipe from Spruce Eats (another great site!) for Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup served as the basis for my soup.  I started with a small fresh whole chicken 2.5-3 pounds and lots of vegetables including onions, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic, and potatoes, feel free to use whatever vegetables you like.  Add the chicken, cut vegetables, and seasonings to your Instant Pot, turn the lid and close the vent. Set the timer to 25 minutes.  Voila, that’s it, easy-peasy.  Note, it will take a while to get to pressure, approximately 20-25 minutes in addition to the cooking time of 25 minutes.  Once it is done, let the pot natural release for 15 minutes.  You can also use cut-up chicken for the stock, I prefer a whole chicken.  Don’t limit yourself to Matzo Ball soup. This is killer chicken soup, throw in a handful of rice or pasta instead of matzo balls-delicious alternatives.

Put chicken in first and pile veggies on top. Fill pot with water.

Two Schools

Do you like your matzo ball soup with just broth and matzo balls?  When I was a student in LA, a LONG time ago, I loved going to Canter’s Deli on Fairfax. An iconic joint, a classic Jewish deli, with great sammies (Killer Reuben) and traditional matzo ball soup-just rich savory broth and a giant matzo ball.  After a long night of studying, a bowl of soup at Canter’s was always a treat.

BUT, if you like lots of STUFF in your soup (which I am a big fan), remove the chicken and veggies when the stock is done.  Let the chicken cool so you don’t burn your tootsies when shredding it.  Cut the reserve veggies into bite-sized pieces. Set the shredded chicken and cut veggies aside to add to the stock later. This transforms your soup into a substantial meal. A glass of wine, a slice of homemade bread to go along…now you’re talking.

While the Instant Pot is doing its thing, make your matzo balls.  I could lie and post a recipe for homemade matzo balls but I won’t…..I USE A BOX MIX and I’m not afraid to admit it.  A tweak I learned from a friend is to use one whole egg and two egg whites in place of two whole eggs-lighter, fluffier matzo balls. Use an ice cream scoop to portion your matzo balls.  To shape each ball and make the outside smooth, roll each one by hand.  Wet your hands so the matzo balls don’t stick to them while rolling.

Remove the chicken and vegetables when the stock is done.  Switch the Instant Pot to saute’, and bring it to a boil.  Add your matzo balls, bring it back to a boil then reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.  Add reserved shredded chicken and vegetables to warm.  Ladle out all that goodness into bowls and enjoy!

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Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup

Delicious and comforting, Matzo Ball Soup made in an Instant Pot!
Course Soup
Cuisine Jewish
Keyword Chicken, Instant Pot, matzo ball soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

Chicken Stock

  • 1 whole chicken about 3 pounds with bone and skin, sub 2.5 pounds of chicken thighs
  • 8 cups water
  • 4 ribs celery with leaves, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 1 onion, large, chopped or use a combination of leeks and onions
  • 4 carrots peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 potato, peeled and cut into quarters Yukon Gold
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 4 sprigs parsley
  • 1 bay leaf large, or 2 small leaves
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
  • Black pepper freshly ground, to taste or as desired

Matzo Balls

  • 3 large eggs divided 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil use chicken schmaltz or duck fat
  • 1 pkg matzo ball mix manischewitz matzo ball mix

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in Instant Pot, followed by the water, celery, onions, carrots, potato, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, kosher salt and pepper. Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to the sealing position.
  • Select the manual setting, high pressure, and set the timer for 25 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Carefully release the remaining pressure.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the matzo ball mixture as the chicken and vegetables are cooking.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the 1 egg and 2 egg whites until slightly beaten. Add eggs, vegetable oil or fat to matzo mix and stir to combine. Refrigerate mix for 15 minutes.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to portion out matzo balls. With moistened hands, further shape the matzo mixture into small balls. You should have about 10-12 matzo balls. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
  • Carefully remove the chicken and vegetables to a large bowl and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids (garlic pieces, leaves, etc.) keep carrots, potatoes and onions.
  • Pour the broth back into the Instant Pot; set it on sauté and bring to a boil.
  • Drop the matzo balls into the boiling broth, add additional veggies at this point. Turn the sauté function to the low setting. Cover the pot and simmer the matzo balls for 20 minutes.
  • As the matzo balls cook, dice the reserved cooked vegetables. Remove the chicken from the bones and discard the skin and bones. You don't need all of the chicken for the soup. You could reserve breast meat for chicken salad or a pasta dish.
  • Shred the chicken. Return the chopped vegetables and chicken to the broth with the matzo balls and heat through.
  • Ladle soup into bowls. Include two to three matzo balls to each serving.
  • Remove leftover matzo balls from the soup and refrigerate them in a separate container.

Notes

When planning this soup, make sure you factor in enough time for the buildup and release of pressure. It will take about 25 to 30 minutes for the soup to reach pressure.  
Chicken fat, or schmaltz, is a popular fat for matzo balls, but vegetable oil or duck fat are fine alternatives.  A way to get rendered chicken fat is to make the broth and then refrigerate it until the fat solidifies on top. Skim fat to use for matzo balls.