French-Onion-Soup Style Braised Onions with Matzoh Balls
All the comfort for those extra-cold nights
I don’t care what the calendar says - winter has arrived. Last week we had a night where the temperature plunged overnight and didn’t make it back up above freezing until the next day, leaving a thick sheet of ice on top of the stock tanks. Morning chores involved carrying 5-gallon buckets of warm water down from the house. Don’t worry, although those “farmer carries” are great for full-body strength, we’re not masochists around here and have ordered heaters. The ducks may want to swim year-round, but I’m looking forward to some cozy time by the fire.
As so often happens, I’m addressing three cravings in one recipe: classic matzoh ball soup, beefy, cheesy French onion soup, and even simpler braised onions. Kind of like what I imagine might have happened if Julia Childs had shown up to one of my campus Hillel’s Shabbat dinners.
We’re paring things back to basics here: the weather has all of my nesting, put-on-an-extra-layer instincts kicking in, and while under normal (or maybe just warmer) circumstances you’re likely to find me throwing a handful of greens into almost everything, for today’s recipe I’m suggesting we keep things warm, savory, buttery, and cheesy. You can always make a salad to serve on the side. Actually, Julia probably would have done that - something with a nice, classic vinaigrette.
A final note that the matzoh balls need a bit more cooking liquid than you may want in your final preparation. They do need the full four cups, but cooks’ choice after they’re finished: you are welcome to make the whole thing into something more like a soup, or use the leftover broth for whatever you’d like (including a nice little warm-up after hauling those water buckets.)
French-Onion-Soup Style Braised Onions with Matzoh Balls (Serves 4)
Ingredients
2 pounds yellow onions (about 5 medium)
4 T butter
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
6 cups vegetable stock (or 6 cups water + 2 T Better than Bouillon or similar concentrate)
1/2 cup matzoh meal
2 large eggs
2 T vegetable oil
1/2 t baking powder
2 T water
3 oz Swiss or Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
Mix matzo meal, eggs, vegetable oil, baking powder, and 2 T water (gently - avoid overworking.) Cover and refrigerate for half an hour.
Peel your onions and cut in half, and then into quarters. We’re aiming for orange-section shaped pieces, hearty and substantial.
Add to a 3-quart oven-safe pan with 4 T melted butter and the salt and pepper. Mix well to coat the onions. Add 2 cups of the stock.
Cover pan and bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees F, or until the onions are tender.
While the onions are in the oven, bring remaining 4 cups broth to a simmer. Remove matzoh ball mix from the refrigerator and shape into eight walnut-sized balls. Drop the matzoh balls into the broth and cook, covered, until they float and are light and fluffy, at least 30 minutes (may take longer - don’t pull them out early!)
While the matzoh balls are cooking, remove the lid from the onions, increase oven heat to 375 degrees F, and continue to bake until liquid has cooked off.
Assemble: deglaze the pan with a little (or a lot) of the matzoh ball broth - your choice whether this is more of a hearty vegetable dish or a soup. Add the matzoh balls, top them with cheese, and set under a high broiler for about five minutes - until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Enjoy while tuned in to the local weather station with a side of gratitude for sweaters, insulation, and indoor plumbing.
Nutrition information (approximate): 449 calories, 28.5 g fat, 36.4 g carbohydrates, 14.4 g protein, 4.4 g fiber
Below: audio for this post + recipe PDF
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