Cooking for a Crowd

It seemed like all I did today was cook from the minute I woke up.  I actually can’t think of anything I would rather do, but it did occupy much of my day.  The good news is there were no missing ingredients and no outright failures.



When you are cooking for 16, all the pots are big pots.  Stock for soup and stock for gefilte fish took up two burners for much of the morning.



It’s such a transformation to go from the fish skin and bones (above) and the three kinds of ground fish to little fish patties decorated with a slice of carrot, just waiting for bright red horseradish and a piece of matzo.



I’m departing from the traditional this year and making Leek and Ginger Matzo Balls in Lemongrass Consomme from Bon Appetit.  I used up the last remnants of my goose schmaltz in these matzo balls.  The house smelled very Thai today as the stock simmered on the stove.  I was pleased that the matzo balls didn’t fall apart as they often have in the past.



My husband was part of the cooking frenzy today too.  He made the Moroccan braised chicken dish that we recently learned in class.  The things he makes always turn out well because he believes in following the directions to the letter.

Tomorrow’s list includes making hard-boiled eggs and red horseradish and figuring out the logistics of seating and serving many more people than we have at a typical dinner party.

But tomorrow night’s seder is not only about food.  It will be a lengthy discussion of the Exodus of the Jews from slavery to freedom, as we attempt to relate that ancient story to the world of today.