BEN’S KOSHER RESTAURANT, DELICATESSEN AND … · 2018-04-20 · BEN’S KOSHER RESTAURANT,...
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BR Wednesday, April 11, 2018 SunSentinel.com Sun Sentinel | 3E matzo ball soup recipe from Ben’s Kosher Restaurant, Delicatessen and Caterers (9942 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton; 561-470-9963; bensdeli.net). Ben’s founder, Ronnie Dragoon, started building his deli empire in 1972. Fast for- ward 46 years later and Dragoon, still very involved in the business, keeps tabs on his six New York locations and his first and only restaurant outside of New York in Boca Raton. Many of Ben’s specialties are family recipes handed down from Dragoon’s grandmother and mother, like the matzo ball soup. According to Dragoon, the secret to a great matzo ball soup recipe is a light matzo ball and a golden chicken soup made with whole chickens and chicken bones. The baking powder in the matzo balls, and homemade broth, is a must to achieve Ben’s results. His recipe is made fresh daily in 50-gallon kettles. Thankfully, the recipe he provided is scaled back for home cooks. Q. I recently dined at TooJay’s and ordered the homemade shepherd’s pie. The melody of flavors were incredibly fresh and flavorful. It was the epitome of comfort food. I would love it if you are able to get their rhepherd’s pie reci- pe so I can re-create it at home. — Ash- ley Kozich, Hallandale Beach A. I’ve made a handful of requests for TooJay’s (multiple locations; toojays.com) recipes over the years. Unfortunately, I never get very far. But I don’t want to leave Ashley empty handed. So, I’m offering my recipe as a fill-in. This happens to be a favorite dinner at my house. I’ve been making the same reci- pe for years, tweaking it along the way. I always make two — one to eat and one to freeze. What I like about this recipe is the delicious brown gravy it creates with the meat, unlike other versions that are too dry and bland for my tastes. Some may argue this is more cottage pie than shepherd’s pie because of the use of beef versus lamb. Use whatever suits your taste and budget. If you want to try a twist on the recipe, substitute ground turkey for the beef and sweet potatoes for the russets. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do. Q. I would like to have the recipe for Ben’s matzo ball soup. It is very delicious. I wrote to you about a month ago. You replied to me but never sent the reci- pes. I would be very grateful to you if you would send them to me. — Barbara Guttell, Delray Beach A. When I receive recipe requests I try to reply as quickly as possible, acknowledging receipt as a common courtesy. Occasionally a request will get lost in the shuffle or go unnoticed landing in a spam folder. More often than not, requests take several weeks if not months to fill. In general, chefs and restaurant owners are very busy people. The industry is beyond demanding and stressful. As a result, tracking down the proper powers to authorize recipe sharing takes rounds of phone tag before I even come close to asking if it’s sautéed or steamed. Sometimes I get lucky and reach an owner/chef on the first outreach and they spew the recipe off the top of their heads. Those are few and far between. For the recipes that I am fortunate to get my hands on, they are available in print and online at sunsentinel.com/reciperequest. So thank you, Barbara, for patiently waiting for the YOU ASKED FOR IT Ben’s great matzo ball soup Ben’s Kosher Restaurant, Delicatessen and Caterers can go through 50 gallons of chicken soup with matzo ball in a day. BEN’S KOSHER RESTAURANT, DELICATESSEN AND CATERERS/COURTESY Claire Perez Ronnie’s old-fashioned chicken soup with matzo ball 12 cups cold water 2 pounds chicken bones 1 whole chicken, cavity rinsed and salted 1 large onion, quartered with skin 1 large carrot, peeled 1 parsnip, peeled 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 leek, sliced Half a head of fresh garlic, left intact 2 sprigs fresh dill ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper 1 ounce chicken base or bouillon cube for extra flavor if desired, optional 1 recipe Ben’s matzo ball (see recipe) Chopped parsley, for garnish 1. Using a large stockpot, combine all soup ingredients, cover and bring to a boil. Boil gently until chicken is cooked through, about an hour depending on the size. Reduce heat to low and simmer one hour. Strain the soup, dice the carrot and reserve. 2. To serve, fill soup bowls with broth, carrot and matzo ball. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Makes about 8 servings with one matzo ball per serving Nutrition information per serving: 197 calories, 42% calories from fat, 9g fat, g saturated fat, 74mg cholesterol, 20g carbohydrates, 4g total sugar,0g added sugar, 8g protein, 279mg sodium, 2g fiber Ben’s matzo balls 4 extra large eggs 1 ⁄3 cup soy oil, plus more for rolling 1½ level cups matzo meal 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt, divided ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic ¼ teaspoon granulated onion 1. Using a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and oil. Add matzo meal, baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic and onion, stirring until smooth. Refrigerate15 minutes. 2. Bring a large stockpot filled with water and remaining 1 tablespoon salt to boil over high heat. Roll matzo mixture into 12 balls with lightly oiled hands. 3. Place balls in boiling water and simmer until a fork comes clean when pierced, about 20-25 minutes. 4. Gently remove matzo balls from water and transfer to chicken soup. Makes 12 balls Nutrition information per matzo ball: 139 calories, 52% calories from fat, 8g fat, 2g saturated fat, 65mg cholesterol, 12g carbohydrates, 1g total sugar, 0g added sugar, 4g protein, 216 mg sodium,1 g fiber Shepherd’s pie my way 1½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 ⁄2 cup milk ¼ cup grated Parmesan 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1½ pounds ground beef 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 1 ⁄ 4 cups beef broth 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1. Using a medium saucepan over medium high heat combine potatoes and enough cold salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gently boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and return potatoes to pan, add milk and butter. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes to desired consistency. Add Parmesan, season with salt and pepper, to taste, set aside and reserve. 2. Using a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute onion and carrots until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef and saute, breaking up until browned and cooked through. Sprinkle flour over beef and cook 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and thyme, stirring to combine. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add corn and peas, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 3. Transfer meat mixture to a 3-quart ovenproof casserole or baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes using a spatula to cover meat mixture. 4. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place casserole on a sheet pan. Bake until potatoes start to brown, about 20-25 minutes. Makes 8 servings Nutrition information per serving: 342 calories, 38% calories from fat, 15g fat, 6g saturated fat, 66mg cholesterol, 32g carbohydrates, 5g total sugar, 0g added sugar, 22g protein, 228mg sodium, 4g fiber Contact us Email questions to: [email protected] Or write to: You Asked For It, Sun Sentinel, 333 SW 12th Ave., Deerfield Beach, 33442. Include your name, town and phone number. Claire’s Tip of the Week: When- ever possible, I try to cook with fresh herbs. But I’d never make a grocery store run for just a teaspoon of fresh thyme. Dried herbs tend to be more potent than fresh, so you don’t have to use as much. As a rule of thumb, when converting recipes from fresh to dried herbs, reduce the amount to one-third. For example, 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon, so if a recipe calls for a tablespoon of fresh basil, use a 1 teaspoon of dried. Direct to you Get these recipes and more in your inbox. Sign up at SunSentinel.com/newsletters. Never hurry and never worry. Sensible advice from Charlotte, the renowned spi- der, weaver and heroine. But it’s a tall order — never? I decided to start slow, swearing off the hunch-shouldered hustle for an evening. Instead of hurtling through traffic, I stayed put. Instead of banging through dinner prep, I attempted attentive. Turns out that radishes, like toddlers, are proud of their big bellies. They enjoy a good scrub behind the stems. And their greens can be snipped into all sorts of daring ’dos. Also of note: Smearing a platter with herb butter and dotting the butter with fancifully coiffed radishes is compelling, time-con- suming work. I doubt Charlotte’s approach altered the appetizer — dill-specked butter and salt- speckled radishes. But the process was a pleasure. And, given that I only managed a one-dish meal, it counts as a masterpiece of monotasking. leaheskin.com Slo-mo appetizer Radishes Prep: 15 minutes Makes: One appetizer, serves 4 2 bunches radishes with leaves — look for a variety of colors and sizes ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (get the fancy stuff), softened 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1-2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice ¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic Kosher salt Flaky salt, such as Maldon Crusty rye or French bread, optional 1 Trim: Wash and dry radishes. Slice each in half from stem to root. Using kitchen scissors, trim root so it trails off decorously. Snip away most leaves, letting each radish retain a sprightly leaf or two or, alternatively, give it a short, spiky ’do. You want the impression that radishes recently sprang, freshly washed and cut, from the garden. 2 Swirl: Drop butter into the food processor. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon each of chopped dill and parsley. Pour in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the garlic and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Swirl smooth. Taste. Add more herbs and lemon, if you like. 3 Serve: Find a big rustic cutting board or platter. Spread on all the butter in two or three dramatic swaths. Dot the butter with radishes, cut sides down. Sprinkle the composition with flaky salt. Serve as is, or with warm bread. LEAH ESKIN Home on the Range ABEL URIBE/CHICAGO TRIBUNE; JOAN MORAVEK/ FOOD STYLING
Transcript of BEN’S KOSHER RESTAURANT, DELICATESSEN AND … · 2018-04-20 · BEN’S KOSHER RESTAURANT,...
BR Wednesday, April 11, 2018 SunSentinel.com Sun Sentinel | 3E
matzo ball soup recipe fromBen’sKosherRestaurant, Delicatessen andCaterers(9942ClintMooreRoad, BocaRaton;561-470-9963; bensdeli.net).Ben’s founder, RonnieDragoon, started
building his deli empire in1972. Fast for-ward 46 years later andDragoon, still veryinvolved in the business, keeps tabs onhissixNewYork locations andhis first andonly restaurant outside ofNewYork inBocaRaton.Many of Ben’s specialties are family
recipes handed down fromDragoon’sgrandmother andmother, like thematzoball soup. According toDragoon, the secretto a greatmatzo ball soup recipe is a lightmatzo ball and a golden chicken soupmadewithwhole chickens and chicken bones.
The baking powder in thematzo balls, andhomemade broth, is amust to achieveBen’s results.His recipe ismade fresh dailyin 50-gallon kettles. Thankfully, the recipehe provided is scaled back for home cooks.Q. I recently dined atTooJay’s and
ordered thehomemade shepherd’s pie.Themelodyof flavorswere incrediblyfresh and flavorful. Itwas the epitomeof comfort food. Iwould love it if youare able to get their rhepherd’s pie reci-pe so I can re-create it at home.—Ash-leyKozich,HallandaleBeachA. I’vemade a handful of requests for
TooJay’s (multiple locations; toojays.com)recipes over the years. Unfortunately, Inever get very far. But I don’twant to leaveAshley empty handed. So, I’mofferingmyrecipe as a fill-in.This happens to be a favorite dinner at
myhouse. I’ve beenmaking the same reci-pe for years, tweaking it along theway. Ialwaysmake two—one to eat and one tofreeze.What I like about this recipe is thedelicious brown gravy it createswith themeat, unlike other versions that are too dryand bland formy tastes.Somemay argue this ismore cottage pie
than shepherd’s pie because of the use ofbeef versus lamb.Usewhatever suits yourtaste and budget. If youwant to try a twiston the recipe, substitute ground turkey forthe beef and sweet potatoes for the russets.I hope you enjoy the recipe asmuch aswedo.
Q. Iwould like tohavethe recipe forBen’smatzoball soup. It isverydelicious. Iwroteto you about amonthago.You replied tomebutnever sent the reci-pes. Iwould be verygrateful to you if youwould send themtome.—BarbaraGuttell,
DelrayBeachA.When I receive recipe requests I try to
reply as quickly as possible, acknowledgingreceipt as a common courtesy. Occasionallya requestwill get lost in the shuffle or gounnoticed landing in a spam folder.Moreoften than not, requests take severalweeksif notmonths to fill. In general, chefs andrestaurant owners are very busy people.The industry is beyonddemanding andstressful. As a result, tracking down theproper powers to authorize recipe sharingtakes rounds of phone tag before I evencome close to asking if it’s sautéed orsteamed.Sometimes I get lucky and reach an
owner/chef on the first outreach and theyspew the recipe off the top of their heads.Those are few and far between. For therecipes that I am fortunate to getmyhandson, they are available in print and online atsunsentinel.com/reciperequest. So thankyou, Barbara, for patientlywaiting for the
YOU ASKED FOR IT
Ben’s great matzo ball soupBen’s Kosher Restaurant, Delicatessen and Caterers can go through 50 gallons of chicken soup with matzo ball in a day.
BEN’S KOSHER RESTAURANT, DELICATESSEN AND CATERERS/COURTESY
Claire Perez
Ronnie’s old-fashioned chicken soupwith matzo ball
12 cups cold water2 pounds chicken bones1 whole chicken, cavity rinsed and salted1 large onion, quartered with skin1 large carrot, peeled1 parsnip, peeled2 stalks celery, sliced1 leek, sliced
Half a head of fresh garlic, left intact2 sprigs fresh dill¼ teaspoon ground white pepper1 ounce chicken base or bouillon cube for extra flavor if desired, optional1 recipe Ben’s matzo ball (see recipe)
Chopped parsley, for garnish
1.Using a large stockpot, combine all soup ingredients, cover and bring to a boil.Boil gently until chicken is cooked through, about an hour depending on the size.
Reduce heat to low and simmer one hour. Strain the soup, dice the carrot andreserve.
2. To serve, fill soup bowls with broth, carrot and matzo ball. Sprinkle withchopped parsley.
Makes about 8 servings with one matzo ball per serving
Nutrition information per serving: 197 calories, 42% calories from fat, 9g fat, gsaturated fat, 74mg cholesterol, 20g carbohydrates, 4g total sugar,0g added sugar,8g protein, 279mg sodium, 2g fiber
Ben’s matzo balls4 extra large eggs
1⁄3 cup soy oil, plus more for rolling1 ½ level cups matzo meal
1 tablespoon baking powder1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper¼ teaspoon granulated garlic¼ teaspoon granulated onion
1.Using a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and oil. Add matzo meal, baking powder, ¼teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic and onion, stirring until smooth. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
2.Bring a large stockpot filled with water and remaining 1 tablespoon salt to boil overhigh heat. Roll matzo mixture into 12 balls with lightly oiled hands.
3.Place balls in boiling water and simmer until a fork comes clean when pierced, about20-25 minutes.
4.Gently remove matzo balls from water and transfer to chicken soup.
Makes 12 balls
Nutrition information per matzo ball: 139 calories, 52% calories from fat, 8g fat, 2gsaturated fat, 65mg cholesterol, 12g carbohydrates, 1g total sugar, 0g added sugar, 4gprotein, 216 mg sodium,1 g fiber
Shepherd’s pie myway
1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeledand diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter1⁄2 cup milk¼ cup grated Parmesan2 tablespoons olive oil1 onion, diced2 carrots, peeled and diced2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ pounds ground beef3 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1⁄4 cups beef broth1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce2 teaspoons fresh chopped
rosemary1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
Kosher salt and freshly groundblack pepper, to taste
1.Using a medium saucepan overmedium high heat combine potatoes
and enough cold salted water to cover.Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gentlyboil and cook until fork tender. Drain andreturn potatoes to pan, add milk andbutter. Using a potato masher, mashpotatoes to desired consistency. AddParmesan, season with salt and pepper,to taste, set aside and reserve.
2.Using a large saute pan overmedium heat, heat the oil. Saute
onion and carrots until onions aretranslucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlicand saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.Add beef and saute, breaking up untilbrowned and cooked through. Sprinkleflour over beef and cook 2 minutes. Addtomato paste, broth, Worcestershiresauce, rosemary and thyme, stirring tocombine. Simmer until slightly thickened,about 5 minutes. Add corn and peas,stirring to combine. Season with salt andpepper, to taste.
3.Transfer meat mixture to a 3-quartovenproof casserole or baking dish.
Top with mashed potatoes using aspatula to cover meat mixture.
4.Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Placecasserole on a sheet pan. Bake until
potatoes start to brown, about 20-25minutes.
Makes 8 servings
Nutrition information per serving: 342calories, 38% calories from fat, 15g fat,6g saturated fat, 66mg cholesterol, 32gcarbohydrates, 5g total sugar, 0g addedsugar, 22g protein, 228mg sodium, 4gfiber
Contact usEmail questions to: [email protected]
Or write to: You Asked For It, Sun Sentinel, 333 SW 12th Ave., Deerfield Beach,33442. Include your name, town and phone number.
Claire’sTip of theWeek:When-ever possible, I try to cookwith freshherbs. But I’d nevermake a grocerystore run for just a teaspoon of freshthyme.Dried herbs tend to bemorepotent than fresh, so you don’t haveto use asmuch. As a rule of thumb,when converting recipes from freshto dried herbs, reduce the amount toone-third. For example, 3 teaspoonsequal1 tablespoon, so if a recipe callsfor a tablespoon of fresh basil, use a1teaspoon of dried.
Direct to youGet these recipes and more in yourinbox. Sign up atSunSentinel.com/newsletters.
Never hurry and never worry. Sensibleadvice from Charlotte, the renowned spi-der, weaver and heroine. But it’s a tall order—never?
I decided to start slow, swearing off thehunch-shouldered hustle for an evening.Instead of hurtling through traffic, I stayedput. Instead of banging through dinnerprep, I attempted attentive.
Turns out that radishes, like toddlers, areproudof their big bellies. They enjoy a goodscrub behind the stems. And their greenscan be snipped into all sorts of daring ’dos.Also of note: Smearing a platter with herbbutter anddotting thebutterwith fancifullycoiffed radishes is compelling, time-con-sumingwork.
I doubt Charlotte’s approach altered the
appetizer — dill-specked butter and salt-speckled radishes. But the process was apleasure. And, given that I only managed aone-dishmeal, it counts as amasterpiece ofmonotasking.
leaheskin.com
Slo-mo appetizerRadishesPrep: 15 minutes
Makes: One appetizer, serves 4
2 bunches radishes with leaves — look for a variety of colors and sizes½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (get the fancy stuff), softened1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley1-2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
Kosher saltFlaky salt, such as MaldonCrusty rye or French bread, optional
1Trim: Wash and dry radishes. Slice each in half from stem to root. Using kitchenscissors, trim root so it trails off decorously. Snip away most leaves, letting each radish
retain a sprightly leaf or two or, alternatively, give it a short, spiky ’do. You want theimpression that radishes recently sprang, freshly washed and cut, from the garden.
2Swirl: Drop butter into the food processor. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon each of choppeddill and parsley. Pour in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, the garlic and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
Swirl smooth. Taste. Add more herbs and lemon, if you like.
3Serve: Find a big rustic cutting boardor platter. Spread on all the butter in two
or three dramatic swaths. Dot the butterwith radishes, cut sides down. Sprinkle the composition with flaky salt. Serve as is, or withwarm bread.
LEAH ESKIN
Home on the Range
ABEL URIBE/CHICAGO TRIBUNE; JOAN MORAVEK/FOOD STYLING
