"Shawarma is number one."

Boaz

Israel

I spoke to Boaz in his small kibbutz bedroom a few years ago in the south of Israel. Originally from Beer'sheva, Boaz has traveled the world since finishing his army service. It has been years since I've seen him, but always remember his big smile, easygoing attitude, and love for both Israeli foods and cooking over fire.

Patchwork Tablecloth: What's your favourite food?

Boaz: Chicken wings over fire. Matfuna; tinfoil with entire chicken, spices, beer, honey and chiles. Wrap it up foil and put on charcoals for an hour and 20 minutes.

PT: What do you like to cook? 

B: Poike. Cook on fire in a cast-iron pot. Vegetables, anything in a pot and cook for 2 hours.

PT: What is your favourite holiday? How do you celebrate?

B: Purim. Drink wine and feast!

PT: What are your favourite fruits and vegetables?

B: Onion, avocado, tomatoes. Pittaya (cactus pear), dates, apples. Truthfully, when you eat an apple, it’s the best feeling.

PT: What did you eat as a little boy?

B: Chocolate. I was not picky.

Elite chocolate is one of the more popular Israeli brands. They have lots of interesting flavours, including my favourite; pop rocks!

PT: Do you dislike any food?

B: Seafood; calamari, etc. But I love sushi.

PT: What are some popular foods in Israel?

B: Shnitzel, couscous, falafel, Bamba, Bissli. Shawarma is number one.

Clockwise, from left: challah, tahina sauce, Bamba, Bissli, hummus, and Bissli coated schnitzel.

PT: What do you keep in your fridge?

B: Hummus, pita, tahina, tomatoes, onions, salad, a big chunk of meat, soy beans, leftovers, beer, good cakes, and sauces.

PT: What do you normally eat for breakfast?

B: Good cheese, eggs, good salad with toasts.

PT: What do you eat for lunch? 

B: Schnitzel, rice.

Schnitzel in baguette (with a side of falafel!) in Tel Aviv

PT: Dinner?

B: Tahina.

PT: What do you like to drink?

B: Orange juice; fresh squeezed myself! Coca Cola, water, hot drinks; coffee and herbal tea.

A pomegranate juice vendor in Tzfat.

PT: It's 2 am. You're drunk. What are you eating?

B: Toast with cheese.

PT: If you were cooking dinner for just yourself, what would you make?

B: A hamburger. Tahina.

PT: What is something "unusual" that you like to eat?

B: Hummus with yellow cheese. Chocolate with tahina. 

PT: What are your favourite ingredients?

B: Cumin, rice, chicken breasts, tahina, good salad with lots of onion and garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce

PT: What is something interesting you've tried while traveling?

B: Waffles in Amsterdam.

PT: What is the best thing you can remember eating? 

B: On kibbutz, with my friend Nitzan. We had a big chunk of steak, cooked it over fire and ate it in little cuts.

Kibbutz.

PT: You're throwing a party! What are you serving?

B: Bamba, Bissli, Coke, Arak, tahina…snacks.

*

What is your favourite holiday and what do you eat then?

"Pesach...coleslaw by my grandmother, matzo balls, coconut and chocolate macaroons..."

Liz, Toronto, Canada

Matzo Ball Soup

The smell of matzo ball soup cooking is a surefire sign that spring is on it’s way! Though, I’d be happy eating this any day of the year…

Chicken fat, or shmaltz, as it’s known in Yiddish, is the secret ingredient to a perfect matzo ball. You can buy it, but you can also just use the fat that you scoop off the top of your broth as it cooks.  I also used chicken salt in my matzo balls (a strange Aussie product that I love) for an extra chicken-y kick.

Boiling a whole chicken will yield way more meat than you need. I made some chicken salad with kewpie mayonnaise and avocado... delicious! (And probably pretty good on matzo…)

For the soup:

1 whole chicken

2 onions, quartered

2 peeled carrots, cut into large chunks

2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks

A pinch peppercorns

Salt

A bay leaf, some thyme and rosemary tied up with string

For the matzo balls:

1 cup matzo meal

1/4 melted chicken fat (you can also use oil)

4 eggs

1/4 cup seltzer

Ground pepper

Salt

1. Put all your soup ingredients in a large pot. Cover completely with water and bring to boil.

2. Gently boil, uncovered, occasionally skimming any impurities or fat that rise to the top. 

3. Meanwhile, make your matzo balls. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Be sure to use plenty of salt! Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least an hour and a half.

4. Let your broth cook for at least two hours. To keep it from reducing drastically, you can add water occasionally. Salt graciously.

5. When your matzo ball mixture is ready, boil a pot of water. Form smooth, golfball sized balls, and add to the pot. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about thirty minutes.

6. When the broth tastes rich and flavourful, remove chicken and leave to cool on a platter. Strain the broth and reserve the carrots.

7. Shred the cooked chicken and slice the cooked carrots into coins.

8. To serve, put a handful of shredded chicken, some carrots, and a couple of matzo balls into each bowl and ladle hot broth over.

Enjoy, and if you're celebrating Pesach, chag sameach!