Around the Shabbat Table (6 page)

MEANWHILE,
prepare the chicken: roughly shred it (preferably using your fingers, so you can easily find any little bits of gristle or bone) and place in a bowl. If the chicken is very dry—usually the case if you are using chicken left over from making soup—spoon some broth over it, mix well, and let it drink in the liquid for at least 15 minutes.

HEAT
the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and keep tossing with a spatula as they soften and begin to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue cooking and turning, until the mixture is a deep caramel color, but before it turns crispy, about 5 minutes.

STIR
the onions into the chicken and let cool slightly. Add the egg, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate the mixture, covered, for at least 1 hour.

FILL
and trim the kreplach (see
Wonton Wrappers
), using about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling per krepl, folding into a tight triangle, and sealing with the egg wash.

POACH
the kreplach. In a large, very wide pot, bring at least 5 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Slip in the kreplach, one by one, being careful not to overcrowd the pot (if necessary, cook them in batches or use two pots). Lower the temperature slightly (the kreplach might explode if the water is boiling furiously) and poach until tender, 3 to 6 minutes (exact time will depend on the brand of wonton wrapper used). Lift out the kreplach, a few at a time, with a large skimmer, gently shaking the skimmer so the water drains back into the pot (they are too fragile to pour into a colander).

SERVE
the kreplach in soup. Or serve poached or sautéed kreplach with gravy, fried onions, or fried mushrooms as a side dish or appetizer.

CHEATER'S CHICKEN IN THE POT AND ALMOST-HOMEMADE SOUP

yield:
6 TO 8 SERVINGS

When I want chicken broth that tastes homemade, but haven't time enough to prepare it, I turn to this recipe. It produces a broth fine enough for a festive dinner or soothing elixir and excellent, silky poached chicken.

Serve the soup and chicken together plain, or for a substantial chicken-in-the-pot, embellish with matzoh balls, cooked rice, or other starches.

You can also present the tender chicken as a separate course, moistened with a little broth and accompanied by coarse salt, horseradish, and pickles. Or reserve it for chicken salad or other dishes that call for poached chicken.

8 cups good-quality, low-sodium purchased chicken broth

6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley and/or a few celery leaves

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 medium carrot, scraped and coarsely chopped, plus 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups scraped carrots cut into bite-size chunks or 2-inch lengths

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, well trimmed of fat and sinews

1 cup peeled young turnips and/or 1 cup peeled parsnips, diced or cut into bite-size chunks

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus additional for garnish

Optional accompaniments: for the soup, matzoh balls; cooked egg noodles, rice, kasha, kreplach; or red new potatoes, boiled until tender; for the chicken, coarse salt, horseradish, sour pickles

CHOOSE
a lidded, deep skillet large enough to accommodate all the chicken in one layer. Add about 5 cups of the broth, the parsley and/or celery leaves, onion, and chopped carrot and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

ARRANGE
the chicken in a single layer in the broth; if necessary, add more broth so that the chicken is completely immersed. Simmer gently, covered, for about 5 minutes. Turn off the flame, but don't remove the lid or move the pot. Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes, then check to see that it is just cooked through. If not, leave the chicken in the pot for a few more minutes, covered, without the heat on.

TRANSFER
the chicken breasts to a deep dish, spoon some of the broth over to keep them moist, and tent with foil.

STRAIN
the poaching liquid into a large saucepan and add the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, then stir in the remaining carrots, turnips, and parsnips, if using. Reduce the heat and cook until the vegetables are tender.

CUT
the chicken into bite-size pieces and add to the soup, together with the dill and any starchy accompaniments you choose to serve, and warm until everything is heated through. Serve the soup in warmed bowls, sprinkled with more dill.

OR
present the chicken separately, either as another course, along with coarse salt, horseradish, and pickles, if using, or at another meal.

CHILLED MINTED CUCUMBER SOUP

yield:
ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

Utterly refreshing on a hot day or sultry evening, this gorgeous celadon soup makes a fine starter, or when served in attractive mugs or glasses, an unusual accompaniment to a summer Shabbat dinner or lunch or to a Shavuot meal. Or offer it in demitasse cups, a family collection of china teacups, or oversized shotglasses for a stunning break-the-fast drink on Yom Kippur.

The only cooking here is boiling water for the mint tea which, along with the yogurt, provides the structure of the soup and subtly underscores the fresh mint and dill flavoring. To make the soup richer, you can use all or some
labneh
or a combination of yogurt and sour cream as a substitute for the yogurt.

For a delicate garlic flavor without the back-of-the-throat harshness of the raw cloves, the garlic infuses the soup as it chills but is plucked out just before pureeing. To find the garlic easily, spear the cloves with toothpicks before you add them to the soup.

4 cups peeled, seeded, chopped cucumbers (scoop out the seeds with a spoon)

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 quart plain yogurt or labneh (4 cups), or a combination of labneh or sour cream and yogurt

3 cups freshly brewed mint tea (use caffeine-free herbal mint tea), cooled

¹
⁄
₃
cup fresh mint leaves, tightly packed, plus additional for garnish

¹
⁄
₄
cup fresh dill leaves

Best-quality extra virgin olive oil or a fine walnut or other nut oil (optional)

IN
a large bowl, stir together the cucumbers, about 1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons salt and a few grindings of pepper. Add the garlic, then beat in the yogurt or labneh and tea. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

SCOOP
out the garlic and discard it. Stir in the mint and dill. Puree the soup in the blender in batches. (A food processor will not produce the same smooth texture). This soup tastes best a little salty, so adjust the seasoning.

IF
serving the soup as a first course, ladle it into bowls and, if you like, dribble a bit of fine oil on top. To serve as a beverage accompaniment to a meal, spoon the soup into tall glasses or cups. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

COOK'S NOTE:
The soup can be prepared a day ahead. Puree, then return it to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

GEFILTE FISH QUICKLY STEAMED BETWEEN CABBAGE LEAVES

yield:
ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

Inspired by the Chinese method for preparing tender, soft dumplings, I cushion these wonderfully delicate fish balls between cabbage leaves for a gentle twenty-minute steam bath. The wet vapor helps preserve all the subtle flavors of the fish while the nutty-sweet cabbage wrapper keeps it moist as it steams, and later as it chills without broth in the refrigerator.

The fish mixture here is particularly delicious. Extra egg yolks and a little pureed carrot and parsnip bring added flavor and a lush softness. No fish broth, but a bit of the liquid from cooking the sweet vegetables moistens the matzoh meal filler.

The result is gefilte fish brimful of flavor yet light and fresh tasting. To complement it, mellow the horseradish's fire with some mayonnaise seasoned with fresh dill.

FOR THE FISH BALLS

¹
⁄
₃
cup diced, scraped carrots

¹
⁄
₃
cup diced, peeled parsnips

3 tablespoons matzoh meal

2 tablespoons mild olive or canola oil

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups coarsely chopped onion

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped shallots

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus 16 additional sprigs

2 pounds fish fillets, skin and any bones removed and discarded, rinsed to remove any scales, patted dry, and cut into 1-inch pieces; or 2 pounds fish ground by your fishmonger (see Cook's Note)

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

FOR THE DILL-HORSERADISH MAYONNAISE

1 cup mayonnaise

¹
⁄
₃
cup finely minced dill

¹
⁄
₃
cup plus 1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish, drained