6th March 2016

It's Mothers' Day in the UK. Everyone round here is coughing and sneezing, so here's what to do. When, ten days ago, I hosted the launch day for my book Lamplight, many seemed interested in the food Esther Kolinsky gave her son, David Klein - the old recipes she brought back from der Heim. They certainly gave him the strength to withstand all that Hitler could throw at him. So, for mothers everywhere on this Mothers' Day, make a note of these ancient wonders. Pure penicillin.

Goldene Yoich - original chicken soup recipe from E. Europe

Ingredients: 1 boiling fowl, giblets, 2 whole onions, 2 carrots sliced lengthways, piece of parsley root, 1 stick of celery, 1 parsnip, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, water to cover (plus a frozen cube of last week's chicken stock, frozen in an old egg box). Method: Put the fowl in a large saucepan, add prepared vegetables and seasoning (and chicken stock if available), and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Remove the scum. Simmer for 3 hours or until tender. Remove fowl and serve separately. Skim the soup to remove the fat. Serve with kneidlach and lochshen, see below.

Kneidlach

Ingredients: 1 onion, 2 tbsp. melted chicken fat, 4 oz matzo meal (Chapelure here in France, extra croustillante; or breadcrumbs), salt and pepper, 1/4 pint chicken soup or boiling water, 1 egg. Method: Melt fat in a saucepan and fry the prepared onion. Add to the matzo meal with the salt and pepper. Add the soup or boiling water, then the beaten egg. Stir well. Chill. With damp hands rolls the mixture into tiny balls and drop in the boiling soup and simmer for 15 mins. Serve in the soup.

Lochshen

Ingredients: 1 egg, 1/4 tsp salt, pinch pepper, 3 oz plain flour. Method: Beat together the egg, salt and pepper. Gradually mix in the flour to form a stiff dough. Roll out very thinly and leave to dry. Roll up tightly and then cut into thin strips. Cook in boiling, salted water, separating the strips as they are put into the water. Cook for 5 mins, strain and serve in soup.

Result. No more colds.  P.S. Have you got your copy of Lamplight yet? Just click on www.authl.it/4q0 from wherever you live. Please leave a review on amazon in due course so that everyone can read about Esther Kolinsky and her son David Klein.  Enjoy.