Chef Jason Wiener from Almond Restaurant in Bridgehampton has opinions about matzo ball soup.
“Jeez,” he says, “I can talk a blue streak about matzo balls.” After years of experimentation, though, he has boiled down his knowledge into a few crucial tips for home cooks.
First of all: “Don’t use matzo meal! Throw matzo in your food processor and use that. It’s okay if it’s a little coarser.”
Duly noted, chef! Also, “Do the mix the night before and let it settle in the fridge overnight before you cook it.” And, finally, a bit of a shocker: “Cook the balls for at least an hour.” You read that right. “Impossible to overcook a matzo ball,” Wiener says. “And an undercooked matzo ball is a hate crime.”
Of course, the alternative is to get in the car and trot on over to L&W Market on Main Street, beside the restaurant, where Wiener’s marvelous soup can be bought ready-made for $24 a quart, serving two to three. It really is better than any other we’ve tried, with delectable carrots and dill and superior matzo balls. When the weather has got you down, it’s a reliable mood-booster and one of our favorite consolations during the December doldrums.