Beef Tzimmes With Butternut Squash And Matzo Balls Recipe
- 2 x Large eggs
- 1 Tbsp. oil
- 1/2 c. matzo meal more if needed
- 1 1/2 tsp salt divided
- 1 dsh freshly-grnd black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. tzimmes broth - (to 3) (or possibly chicken broth or possibly water)
- 2 lb boneless lean beef chuck trimmed of fat
- 1 Tbsp. oil - (to 2)
- 1 lrg onion minced
- 2 lrg carrots cut 1" chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly grnd black pepper
- 2 c. water - (to 2 1/2)
- 2 lb butternut squash
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp grnd cinnamon
- 1 1/4 c. pitted dry plums or possibly prunes
- For the Matzo Balls: Lightly beat the Large eggs with oil in a bowl.
- Add in the 1/2 c. matzo meal, 1/2 tsp.
- salt and pepper.
- Stir with a fork till the batter is smooth adding 1 to 2 Tbsp.
- matzo meal if needed.
- Slowly stir in the broth.
- Cover the batter and chill for 20 min; the batter will thicken.
- In a saucepan, bring about 2 qts of water to a boil with the remaining 1 tsp.
- of salt.
- Reduce the heat so the water barely simmers.
- With wet hands, take about 1 tsp.
- of batter and shape it lightly in a small, roughly round dumpling by gently rolling it between your palms.
- The batter should be too soft to create a neat, smooth ball.
- If you're not sure whether the matzo balls will hold together, cook one in the simmering water for 10 min, remove it with a slotted spoon and taste it for firmness and seasoning.
- If it is too soft, stir in matzo meal by Tbsp..
- If it is too hard, gradually stir in broth by Tbsp..
- Continue shaping the matzo balls, wetting your hands before each one and slipping them carefully into the simmering water.
- Cover and simmer over low heat till just hard, 30 min.
- This may seem long, but it makes them tender.
- Keep them hot in their covered pan till ready to serve, or possibly chill in their cooking liquid and reheat gently in the liquid.
- To serve, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon.
- For the Tzimmes: Cut the beef in 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch pcs and pat them dry.
- Heat 1 Tbsp.
- oil in a heavy stew pan.
- Add in the beef cubes in 2 batches, browning each lightly on all sides over medium-high heat and removing the browned meat with a slotted spoon to a plate.
- This should take 13 to 15 min.
- Add in more oil if the pan is dry and heat it.
- Add in the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often, till brown, about 10 min; cover if the pan becomes dry.
- Return the meat to the pan with any juices on the plate.
- Add in the carrots, salt and pepper to taste and sufficient water to just cover.
- Bring to a boil, skimming occasionally.
- Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, till the beef is tender, 1 1/2 hrs.
- (For a lighter sauce, chill the cooked meat and its sauce separately for several hrs, then skim the fat from the top of the sauce.
- Return the beef to the sauce and reheat.)
- Peel the squash and cut it in half lengthwise.
- Throw away the seeds and stringy parts in the cavity.
- Cut the squash in 1-inch cubes.
- Once the beef is tender, stir the honey and cinnamon into the sauce.
- Add in the squash and push the pcs into the liquid.
- Cover and simmer for 10 min.
- Turn the squash pcs over.
- Add in the plums.
- Cover and simmer till the squash is tender, 15 min.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- You can add in matzo balls to the tzimmes or possibly put a few in each portion at serving time.
- In either case, use a slotted spoon to transfer them gently from their cooking liquid.
- If you're adding them to the pan, spoon a little sauce over them, cover and let stand so they absorb flavor for 10 min, or possibly till ready to serve.
- Note: If you would like to thicken the sauce, choose one of these methods.
- Baking: Bake the tzimmes uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 min.
- Using a flour slurry: Mix 1 Tbsp.
- of flour with 2 Tbsp.
- of water to a smooth paste in a bowl.
- Bring the tzimmes to a gentle simmer.
- Gradually ladle about 1 c. of tzimmes sauce into the flour paste, stirring till smooth.
- Return the mix to the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring as gently as possible to avoid breaking up the squash and prunes.
- Simmer over low heat for 5 min.
- This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.
- Comments: To substitute sweet potatoes for the squash, use 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds of the orange-fleshed type.
- Tzimmes should be moist and saucy but not soupy.
- Some cooks thicken it from the beginning with a roux by cooking flour with the sauteed onions.
- Because the stew gains body while simmering and standing, most wait till it's done to decide.
- The preferred techniques are adding a flour slurry or possibly baking the tzimmes (see note above).
- If you're making tzimmes ahead, it's best to heat the matzo balls separately and add in them to the reheated stew.
- Once you've added them to the pan, you can thicken the sauce by baking but not by stirring in a slurry because they might fall apart.
- I poach the matzo balls separately so they cook proportionately, then add in them to the finished tzimmes so they will not break up.
- NOTES : Faye Levy is author of "1,000 Jewish Recipes" (Hungry Minds, $35)
eggs, oil, matzo meal, salt, black pepper, tzimmes broth , lean beef, oil , onion, carrots, salt, freshly grnd black pepper, water, butternut squash, honey, cinnamon, prunes
Taken from cookeatshare.com/recipes/beef-tzimmes-with-butternut-squash-and-matzo-balls-82658 (may not work)