Leftovers made yummy

Leftover chicken can be used for more than matzah ball soup. (photo from flickr / Edsel Little)

There is a tradition of having chicken for the seder meal, as well as for dinners on other Pesach evenings. Here are some different ways of using the leftovers.

MOCK GEFILTE FISH
(makes 18)

1 1/2 cups water & 1 1/2 tsp chicken soup powder (or 1 1/2 cups chicken soup)
1 1/2 celery ribs, chopped
1 1/2 onions, chopped
1 1/2 carrots, cut up
2 cups leftover chicken pieces
2 eggs
1/2 cup matzah meal
1/2 cup chicken soup

1. In a soup pot, place water and chicken soup powder or (1 1/2 cups chicken soup), celery, onion and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until vegetables are partially cooked.
2. Remove chicken from bones and place in food processor. Process a few seconds. Remove to a bowl.
3. Add eggs, matzah meal and 1/2 cup chicken soup. Shape into balls. Add more matzah meal if balls don’t seem to hold together. Place in chicken soup with vegetables. Cover partially and simmer 30 minutes.

MINA DE PESACH
(I always make a couple of Sephardi dishes during Pesach in tribute to my father’s family. This recipe came from The Recipe Table by Susan R. Friedland, 1994. It makes 6-8 servings.)

5 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
3 cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped parsley
5 lightly beaten eggs
5 to 6 matzot
1 cup chicken soup
3 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a six-to-eight cup baking dish.
2. Heat five tablespoons oil in a large frying pan. Slowly sauté onion and garlic until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté five minutes and cool. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, parsley and eggs.
3. Dip two matzot in the stock until well moistened and lay in baking dish. Spoon half the chicken mixture on top. Cover with one more moistened matzah, the remaining chicken and two remaining matzot.
4. Pour two tablespoons oil on top and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining one tablespoon oil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the top is a rich, crisp brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

CHICKEN-LEEK PATTIES
(makes 6-8 servings)

3 leeks, cleaned and cut up
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 eggs
1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup matzah meal
salt and pepper to taste
1 beaten egg
matzah meal
vegetable oil

1. Place leeks and onions in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and chop in a bowl.
2. Add chicken, eggs, matzah meal, mashed potatoes, salt and pepper and blend.
3. Place beaten egg in one shallow dish and matzah meal in another dish. Form mixture into patties. Dip each in beaten egg then in matzah meal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry until patties are brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Sybil Kaplan is a Jerusalem-based journalist and author. She has edited/compiled nine kosher cookbooks and is a food writer for North American Jewish publications. She leads walks of the Jewish food market, Machaneh Yehudah, in English.