Matzo Stuffing
A tasty, traditional matzo stuffing to accompany any holiday dish
by Molly O'Neill
From our feature A Well-Rounded Table: This recipe, from Barbara Musikar, is adapted from Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes From the Rabinowitz Family by Judy Bart Kancigor (Workman, 2007).
Non-dairy margarine or vegetable cooking spray, for greasing the casserole
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons non-dairy margarine, plus slivers for scattering on top
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 medium-size carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
10 boards matzo
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup homemade chicken stock or low-sodium boxed or canned chicken broth or vegetable stock
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons good-quality paprika
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole or 12 muffin cups.
2. Heat the oil and the 2 tablespoons margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent and the carrots are fork-tender, 10 to12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, crumble the matzo into a large bowl, add cold water to cover, and soak a few seconds, just until it is soft but not soggy. Drain the soaked matzo thoroughly, wipe the bowl dry, and return the matzo to the bowl.
4. Add the sautéed vegetables to the softened matzo. Stir in the parsley, chicken stock, eggs, 2 teaspoons salt, paprika, poultry seasoning, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix thoroughly, and add more salt and pepper to taste (see Note below).
5. To prepare a stuffing casserole, transfer mixture to the prepared casserole dish, dot it lightly with the thin slivers of margarine, and bake, uncovered, on the center oven rack until set and golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.
6. To prepare stuffing muffins, place about 1/2 cup stuffing mixture in each prepared muffin cup. Dot each lightly with thin slivers of margarine, and bake on the center oven rack until set and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Run a knife around each muffin if necessary, and remove them from the cups. Serve hot.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Note: Before tasting any mixture containing raw eggs, microwave a tablespoon or so until the egg is cooked, 5 to 15 seconds; then taste.
See: Shiitake Mushroom Matzo Balls, Easy Brisket for Holidays, Jewish Chicken Soup, Pecan Cookies, Passover Nut Cake, Beet Eingemacht (Preserves)
