Spicy Thai Basil Chicken � My Pad Krapow Gai

I don�t cook Thai food at home often, mostly because there are at least a dozen such restaurants within walking distance, but when I do, there�s nothing I enjoy more than this spicy Thai basil chicken. Thai basil sold separately. 

No, I didn�t use the real �Holy� basil, but even with regular basil, this simple recipe is spectacular. Aromatic basil is the perfect herb for pairing with the slightly sweet, sort of salty, and possibly spicy, chopped meat.

And yes, you really do want to chop, or grind your own chicken. Even if the worst-case scenario I shared in the video isn�t something you�re grocery store would do, it�s still very nice to know exactly what you�re eating, as well as being able to chop it as coarsely as you want.

If you decide to top with an egg, I should mention that they�re usually fried much more aggressively, with the edges getting brown and crispy. I tend to prefer something a little more gently cooked, but either way, or with none at all, I really do hope you give this delicious basil chicken recipe a try soon.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for two large or four smaller portions:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound freshly chopped chicken thighs

1/4 cup sliced shallots

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced Thai chilies, Serrano, or other hot pepper

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce, or as needed

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 bunch basil leaves, sliced very thin with a sharp knife (about a cup once sliced)

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Grilled Greek Chicken � Happy St. Patrick�s Day!

Erin go what? On the surface, this may seem like an inappropriate St. Patrick�s Day recipe post, but I�ve always considered this holiday one of the official signs of spring, and since that means it�s grilling season, then maybe this is appropriate after all? Yes, I went a long way for that.

As I mentioned in the video, the secret to this simple chicken is a very powerful marinade. This is one of those rare recipes where, when in doubt, we add a little more. Above and beyond that, the only way to ruin this would be to singe the skin/marinade with too high, direct heat.

We really want to sort of roast these pieces on the grill. So, don�t build a huge fire, and wait for it to turn ashy, before using semi-indirect heat to slowly cook the meat through. This way we get a tender inside, as well as and a gorgeous, caramelized exterior.

This is so flavorful that you really don�t need a sauce, but some fresh lemon is nice, as is a spicy yogurt. Just squeeze a little lemon into some nice thick, Greek yogurt, spike it with hot sauce, and you have a perfect condiment. And speaking of St. Patrick�s Day, this stuff pairs wonderfully with beer. I really hope you give this grilled Greek chicken recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

For enough marinade for 6 chicken thigh/leg sections:

6 to 8 cloves garlic, totally crushed or very finely minced

2 tablespoons dried oregano and/or marjoram

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 generous teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar

1/4 olive oil

about 1 tablespoon kosher salt to season chicken

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�One-Step� Chicken Noodle Soup � For When You�re Sick of Following Recipes

Or, just plain sick. Yes, I�m a little under the weather, but as they say, the show must go on, and that �show� ended up being me just throwing all my chicken noodle soup ingredients into a pot, crossing my fingers, and hoping for the best.

And while I know this method didn�t produce �the best� chicken noodle soup, I was amazed at how really good it was, and how remarkably close it was to a certain canned variety. I can�t give brand names, but it rhymes with Frogresso.

If you do decide to use this one-step approach, there are a few things you need to pay attention to. You�ll want to use a pasta or noodle that�s at least a large as the fusilli I used so it doesn�t completely break down; as well as, to be sure to dice/slice your veggies nice and thin, so they get tender relatively quickly.

I just used a knife, but I bet you have one of those vegetable slicers somewhere, and this would be the perfect operation to use it for. Above and beyond that, feel free to add in other �medicinal� ingredients, such as garlic, ginger, and hot chilies. But whether you embellish or not, or you�re sick, or feeling just fine, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 pound raw or cooked chicken meat (I used 2 cubed-up breasts)

1/2 cup dried fusilli pasta (corkscrew pasta)

1/3 finely minced onions

1 carrot, very thinly sliced

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste

2 teaspoons ketchup

1 fresh thyme sprig, or pinch of dried thyme, optional

4 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley

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Buffalo Chicken Nuggets - Made from Parts, Not Pieces

I�ve always wanted to show my method for making chicken nuggets. Not because I�m proud of how well they came out, which I am, but more so to plead my case for what I think qualifies as an actual chicken �nugget.�

Somehow people got the idea that a chicken nugget was supposed to be a solid piece of chicken. That�s not a nugget. That�s just a too small piece of fried chicken. A real nugget, at least in the fast food context, is more of a deep-fried, mostly-chicken sausage patty, fabricated from various parts of the bird, such as, every legal part.

I love any and all types of fried chicken, but the typical nugget, when made from a piece of breast, just makes me want to get a bucket of the full-sized stuff. No, as far as party food goes, I�ll take the classic, seems-bad-for-you version every time. Plus, since we�re making a paste out of the meat, we get to flavor it any way we want.

I loved the Buffalo approach, and it allowed me to dip something in blue cheese dressing, which is always nice, but there are lots of directions you can go with this. So, whether you make these as directed, or come up with your own game plan, I really hope you give these delicious chicken nuggets a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 24 Buffalo Chicken Nuggets:

1 1/2 pound chicken thigh

2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (here is a link to a copy cat recipe)

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon Franks hot sauce

1 tablespoon melted butter

For the starch coating:

1/2 cup corn starch

1/3 cup self-rising flour (or mix 1/3 cup all-purpose flour with 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp salt)

1/4 teaspoon salt

- After coating, let sit in fridge until starch on surface is absorbed. For best results, flip over once while in fridge.

- Fry for 1 minute at 300 F., then chill, and finish when ready to serve by frying for 2 minutes at 375 F., or until cooked through. Exact time depends on size and shape of your nugget.

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Chicken, Sausage, Peppers, and Potatoes � Name That Dish!

It�s kind of nice when the name of a recipe is simply what�s in it, as is the case with this pan of roasted chicken, sausage, peppers, and potatoes. As soon as you see the words, you know exactly what you�re getting into. 

The only problem is, �chicken, sausage, peppers, and potatoes,� uses up a lot of characters on Twitter, so if you did have an idea for a shorter and/or catchier name, I�m all ears.

By the way, the two most important things here are not on the ingredient list. That would include a large, heavy-duty roasting pan, as well as a very hot oven. Hopefully, you have something similar to what I used, but if not, you can divide everything up between several smaller casserole dishes; or even use those large, disposable aluminum pans.

I went with hot Italian sausage here, since it so highly-seasoned, but you can really tailor a dish like this to your personal tastes, by switching up what you use, as well as the herbs, and seasonings. No matter what you include, just be sure to season generously, and leave it in the oven long enough. We want everything beautifully caramelized, and our chicken fork tender. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

4 large Italian sausage links

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed

6 to 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 large handfuls, seeded and cut sweet peppers

1 sliced small red onion

1/2 sliced yellow onion

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered

2 generous teaspoons dried Italian herbs (I actually used an �Herb de Provence� herb blend, which included rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil, parsley, and lavender)

fresh Italian parsley to garnish, optional

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Chicken � la King � Only in America

Chicken � la King is one of my favorite classic, comfort foods, and in additional to being delicious, you also get to make up your own story of where the name came from. Just promise me not to use mine. You can have the recipe, but the Don King story is proprietary.

This is an easy recipe to adapt, and you can also make it thicker/thinner if you want by simply changing the amount of roux. Have a little extra stock on hand to thin if need be, and not a lot can go wrong. And don�t even get me started on how great this is for using up leftover vegetables.

As I mentioned in the video, I�ll normally make this kind of thing the day after roasting a big chicken. You can eat some, and save the rest of the meat and bones for this. Or, you can just roast two chickens. They refer to that as �have your chicken and eat it too.� I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for two large, or four small portions:

6 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

2 large shallots, minced

1 cup diced sweet bell peppers

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, depending on how thick you want it

1/4 cup dry sherry (there is no substitute, except maybe a little splash of a mild, sweeter vinegar)

3 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

pinch of cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoon Italian parsley

1/3 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

4 cups cubed roasted chicken

fresh chives to garnish

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�Cheater� Demi Glace � Because Chicken + Beef = Veal

I received a lot of email after publishing our classic demi-glace video, but not the kind I was expecting. Instead of being showered with praise for finally granting this popular food wish, I was being chastised for posting a recipe that required veal bones.

This seemed a little unfair, since veal bones are sort of a key ingredient when making what�s basically a reduced veal stock. However, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I sometimes forget that people don�t live in restaurants, where things like veal knuckles are as ubiquitous as kale.

For your average home cook, veal bones can be expensive, and tricky to find. Plus, they come from baby cows, which many people are against harming. Nope, using adorable young calves is just not an option, although using the bones from ugly, fully-grown chickens is apparently fine.  

Anyway, possible hypocrisy aside, this alternative method worked amazingly well, and above and beyond the almost identical look and feel, the flavor was surprisingly close. This didn�t taste like chicken, or like beef, but was somewhere in the middle, which is basically how I�d describe the taste of veal. I really hope you give this cheaper, easier, and possibly more ethical version a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes about 2 quarts of �Cheater� Demi Glace:

5 pounds whole chicken wings

2 pounds beef shanks (about three 1-inch thick slices)

2 onions, chopped (including skins)

2 carrots, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

3 tablespoons tomato paste

6 quarts cold water

bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

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New & Improved Chicken Parmesan � This is No April Fools Joke!

On those rare occasions I find myself dining in one of America�s casual restaurant chains, chicken parm is one of my go-to meals. I love chicken parm, especially when it�s made with fresh mozzarella, which it almost never is. 

It usually features the same bland, rubbery stuff you find on cheap pizza, and even though I know this going in, I�ll order it anyway.That�s how much I love chicken parm. Of course, at home we can use the real stuff, which is much more flavorful, and significantly less rubbery, but it can be pricey, and not everyone has access, so I decided to try something new. Instead of mozzarella, I made a cheese spread using ricotta, fortified with sharp cheddar.

The creamy ricotta made a great base into which you could add any melting cheese. I really enjoyed the cheddar, but I�d like to try this with other options, such as provolone, fontina, or even gruyere. And of course, if you prefer the tender meat of baby cows, this technique will work just the same with veal.

So, if you love chicken parm as much as I do, but aren�t crazy about the typical bland-but-bouncy mozzeralla topping, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Also, this is my last video, as I�m retiring at the end of the day. Thanks for everything, and as always, enjoy!

For 2 portions New & Improved Chicken Parmesan:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

olive oil for frying

For the cheese spread:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano for the top

- Serve with hot marinara sauce, and chopped Italian parsley.

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Chicken and Olives � Shaken and Stirred

As I mention in the video, I�ve done almost 1,000 videos, and yet can�t remember ever featuring chicken and olives in one before. Considering how brilliant a combination they are, this is nothing short of astounding. I think there are a few in our famous arroz con pollo recipe, but as far as full co-star billing, this is the first time.

Hopefully, it was worth the wait. For that to be the case, you should probably really like, if not love, olives. Their sharp, briny bite is the dominant flavor here, which is why it pairs so well with chicken breast. This one of those dishes where if you tasted the chicken and sauce separately, you probably wouldn�t be very impressed, but together � magic.

Any pitted olives will work, but the Kalamata and Castelvetrano varieties are highly recommended. Luckily, most every large grocery now has an olive bar somewhere, so you shouldn�t have too much trouble finding them. Speaking of finding products, you may actually have a harder time locating the Herbs De Provence.

We haven�t used this Mediterranean dried-herb blend in a while, and if you can find it, it�s worth picking up a bottle. Trust me, you�ll use the rest this grilling season. If you can�t find any, you can always make your own, and I�ve listed the ingredients below. Anyway, if you�ve been looking for a new chicken recipe, especially one with olives in it, then I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

2 tsp Herbs De Provence (the brand I used contained dried chervil, basil, rosemary, tarragon, garlic, lavender, marjoram, savory, thyme, and parsley)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup sliced shallots

1 cup sliced olives

1 cup chicken broth

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp reserved Kalamata olive brine

1/2 tsp cumin

zest from one lemon

2 tbsp Italian parsley

2 tbsp cold butter, cut in 4 pieces

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Chicken Kiev � A High Degree of Difficulty Always Scores Extra Points

Unlike virtually every other recipe featured here, I�m not going to say this chicken Kiev is �easy to make.� It�s really not. You could follow this exactly as shown, and still have undercooked meat, or leaking butter, or any number of other tragedies. So, why try?

Because, if and when you pull this off, you�ll be enjoying one of the greatest chicken experiences of your life. It�s also one of the greatest garlic experiences of your life, as well as one of the greatest butter experiences of your life.

What makes this so challenging is that you can�t really cut, or poke into the Kiev to check for doneness. That would release the garlic-parsley butter prematurely, and be anticlimactic, to say the least. So, we go blindly by time. There are also variables like breast size, freezer temps/time, and oven crowding to deal with. 

However, if you use 8-oz breasts, and freeze exactly as shown here, then after a 2 to 3 minute deep-frying, these should take about 15-17 minutes to bake. The good news is that you have a few minutes after that before the meat gets noticeably drier, so you can give it a little extra time if it seems like it needs it.

One rule great of thumb is to listen for the butter. These are generally done when the garlic butter inside is hot enough to be forced out through the seams on the bottom, and when that happens you�ll hear a sizzle, and maybe see some butter leaking on to your pan. This is usually time to pull them out, and let them rest five minutes.

If you�re cooking more than four of these, make sure they are well spaced, and give them a few extra minutes. If I do these for a larger group, I always do a few extra, so I can cut into one and double-check. Don�t worry, it will be our secret.

Anyway, if you�re feeling brave, and want to enjoy something named after a place sort of near where they are holding the Winter Olympics, then I hope you give this amazing chicken Kiev recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

For 4 portions chicken Kiev:

For the butter:

2 cloves garlic, finely crushed

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley (you can also add tarragon and/or chives)

pinch of salt

4 large (8-oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup flour with 2 tsp salt mixed in

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

vegetable oil for frying, enough for 2-inches in a small pot

*Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until cooked through

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That Other Meat Sauce

We did a classic Italian bolognese sauce not too long ago, which reminded me that I�ve actually never posted a basic, Italian-American meat sauce. This sauce goes by many names, including Sunday sauce, since that�s the day it�s traditionally made, but for me growing up, this was just called �sauce.�

This is one of those primal recipes that always follows the same procedure, yet almost never contains exactly the same ingredients. I was raised on a blend of beef, pork, and chicken, but any and all leftover proteins can, and must, be added to the pot.

Meatballs are a great choice; as are things like pigs feet, neck bones, and other similar cuts. The tougher the meat, the better it�s going to be in this sauce. Besides playing meat roulette, I�ll also switch different herbs like basil in and out, as well as include the occasional season vegetable.

You can also vary your results here with different tomato products. I went old-school and hand-crushed whole plums, but you can also use crushed or pureed tomatoes as well. The finer and smoother the tomatoes are processed, the thicker your sauce will be, so keep that in mind. Speaking of tomatoes; yes, it is much better to caramelize the tomato paste with the onions before you add the San Marzanos, but I didn't because Grandma didn't, and also, I forgot. 

As long as you cook the meat long enough, and season thoughtfully, there�s really no way this sauce isn�t going to be great. So, while you may not have grown up in an Italian-American home, with this comforting sauce simmering on the stove every Sunday, your family still can. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 beef shank

2 pounds pork ribs

2 bone-in chicken thighs

1 diced onion

6 cloves garlic

3 (28-oz) cans San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed or blended smooth
(Note - any canned tomato product will work. Try with pureed or already crushed tomatoes and save a step)

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cups water, more as needed

2 tsp salt, or to taste

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

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The Food Wishes' Chicken Wing Collection

Just in case you haven't decided on a chicken wing for tomorrow's Super Bowl party, maybe this will help. Here, for the first time, we've pulled together every single Food Wishes' chicken wing recipe into one, convenient post. Enjoy!

	Jerk Chicken Wings In the spirit of full disclosure, these will be the wings I'll be enjoying for the game.
	Garlic Parm Hot Wings If casual dinning restuarants have taught us anything, it's that people love garlic-parm whatever.
	Original Buffalo Chicken Wings There's no way to prove this is the original recipe, which is a probably good thing.
	Clifton Springs Chicken Wings By far, our most popular and highest-rated chicken wing recipe.
	Pastrami Chicken Wings Sure, pastrami sandwiches are awesome, but they don't have any bones! Now, these on the other hand.
	Spicy Orange Chicken Wings I can't say who I stole this spicy orange glaze from, but it rhymes with "Panda Express."
	Peanut Butter & Pepper Jelly Chicken Wings This is no gimmick! Okay, it is, but it's an incredibly delicious gimmick.
	Sweet and Hot Mustard-Glazed Chicken Wings Hey, there's a reason honey-mustard is the second most popular chicken nugget sauce in the world.

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Jerk Chicken Wings � Classic Jamaican Super Bowl Food

I�m not sure why I hadn�t thought of this before, but what more perfect marinade and glaze for a Super Bowl hot wing than a Jamaican jerk sauce? These jerk chicken wings were so flavorful, so different, and so additively delicious, that I may have eaten my last Buffalo wing. 

Okay, I didn�t mean that, but these really are amazing; a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. I'm usually pretty casual about you changing my recipes, but I�m going to have to insist you not change any of the key ingredients, which are, every one of them. 

I guess this could work with other hot peppers, but the fiery, super-fruity Habanero (or Scotch Bonnet if you can find it) is critical for achieving true magic here. You�ll find them in any decent market, and they are very expensive per pound, but they�re very light, so three or four certainly won�t break the bank.

I mention in the video to marinate at least 8 hours in the fridge, which is the preferred method, but if you�re in a hurry, like I was, you could just leave it out on the counter at room temperature for two hours instead. Keep it covered, and give it a stir every 15 minutes or so, but that will get you pretty close to the colder, slower refrigerator method.

So, if you�re looking for a little change of pace this year, why not take a break from those same old wings (sorry again, Buffalo), and give these tasty jerk wings a try instead? Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 24 Jerk Chicken Wing Drumettes:

3 lbs chicken wings

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

6 garlic peeled cloves

1/2 cup green onions, sliced

3 Habanero chili peppers, seeded, chopped

2 tablespoons freshly picked thyme leaves

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/3 cup fresh lime juice, about 3 juicy limes

Blend all ingredients and marinate 8 to 12 hours in the fridge; or 2 hours at room temp.

- Bake 20 min at 450 F.

- Paint and turn, bake 15 minutes more

- Turn and paint, and bake 10-15 minutes more, or until well-browned and tender.

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Chicken & Mushroom Chimichanga � A Thingamajig of Beauty

As legend has it, many years ago in Tucson, AZ, a woman accidentally dropped a burrito into a deep fryer. She started to blurt out a common Spanish swear word, but remembering her kids were in the kitchen, yelled out �chimichanga!� instead. She let it fry golden and crisp, and the rest is culinary history.

If you�re wondering, Chimichanga translates to �thingamajig,� which is fitting, since that�s kind of what this is. A thingamajig stuffed with whatever. In this case, whatever was a very tasty mixture of chicken, mushrooms, poblano chilies, and pepper Jack cheese.

While that particular combination is highly recommended, this is more of a technique video, so when it comes to the filling, I encourage wild experimentation. We used raw chicken here, but Chimichangas are also great for using up leftover, cooked meats. Just cube it up, toss it in when the vegetables are done, and proceed as shown.

And don't feel like you have to stay in the Tex-Mex zone. This versatile, folded and fried tortilla could make a fantastic delivery system for all kinds of ethnic foods. Anyway, no matter what kind of filling is used, or how it�s seasoned, I think everyone will agree that it�s never a good idea to curse in front of children. I hope you give this delicious son-of-a-gun a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

(exact measurements are not critical, as you can stuff these with anything that fits)

For the filling:

1 tbsp vegetable oil, divided (half for veggies, half to cook chicken)

1/2 cup diced onions

1/2 cup diced poblano peppers

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast meat, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chipotle, smoked paprika, or other hot or mild ground chili pepper

pinch dried Mexican oregano
1 or 2 tbsp cold water to deglaze pan once chicken is browned

4 ounces grated pepper Jack cheese

Also:

4 large flour tortilla (at least 10-inch wide)

1 egg white

2 tbsp vegetable oil for pan-frying

sour cream, guacamole, and salsa to garnish, optional

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Turkey Matzo Ball Soup � That Old Thanksgivingukkah Classic

Soup is always an obvious choice for leftover-turkey-themed videos, but it wasn�t until I heard about �Thanksgivingukkah,� that I knew that soup would be turkey matzo ball.

This year, Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah fall on the same date for the first time since 1888, and this rare occurrence has been deemed, �Thanksgivingukkah.� And when we say rare, we mean rare, as this convergence will not happen again for another 77,000 years!

As I mention in the video, while pleased with my matzo ball skills, I�m not sure I�ve ever had the real thing (if that even exists), and so I don�t have anything to measure mine against. I�ve had it at delicatessens out here, but never in NYC, or other more legit locations. I�m using what seems to be a fairly standard formula, and they are quite light and tender, so until informed otherwise, I�m going assume these are pretty good.

However, there is one thing I would love to know. Why do �we� boil the matzo balls in salted water, instead of the soup? I�ve heard it�s so the broth doesn�t get cloudy, but is that really all there is to it? Speaking of the broth, yours will undoubtedly be superior to mine. By the time I got to this video, I only had a few scrawny pounds of meat and bones left, and yet it still came out wonderfully flavorful.

If you use all the scraps from a decent sized bird, you should get an incredibly rich broth, which is exactly what you want to be ladling over your matzo balls. As far as extra ingredients go, I like a minimalist approach with this soup, but of course, feel free to embellish your stockpot with whatever you see fit.

Some of this will be determined by how you season your Thanksgiving bird, and I can personally verify that this year�s Peruvian version worked nicely. So, I hope you enjoy the coming Thanksgivingukkah, and here�s hoping the end of your turkey means the beginning of a delicious matzo ball soup. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions (I only served one matzo ball, but this will make enough soup for 4 portions with 2 matzo balls per serving):

For the turkey broth:

3-4 pounds of roasted turkey bones and meat scraps (use everything you have, the fattier the pieces the better)

at least 2 quarts water or chicken broth, or enough to cover

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery

- simmer on low for 3 hours or until all the meat falls off the bones and it�s flavorless.

- skim and reserve at least 4 tbsp of the melted fat that rises to the top

- strain, and you should have about 6 cups of broth. If you have more, reduce down to 6 cups (do not season with salt until reduced). If you didn�t get quite 6 cups, just add some chicken broth to make up the difference.

Note: my turkey was already very well seasoned, so I didn�t need to add much to the stockpot. You can adjust your broth according, and can certainly add things like bay leaf, thyme springs, parsley stems, etc.

For the matzo balls (makes 8):

2 large beaten eggs

2 tbsp rendered melted turkey fat

1 tsp fine salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

2 tbsp seltzer or club soda

1/2 cup matzo meal

- Mix and chill 30 minutes at least

- Boil in salted water (1 1/2 quarts water with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt) for 30 minutes and serve with turkey broth

For the soup:

2 tbsp rendered melted turkey fat

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced celery
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

6 cups very rich turkey or chicken broth (see recipe above)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped dill

8 cooked matzo balls!

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