Soft-Boiled Matzo Ball "Eggs"

A little something I concocted for a fancified Seder that I thought I'd share with the world...

1 dozen eggs
1/2 cup fat, barely melted, room temp - schmaltz (chicken fat) is best
2 cups matzo meal
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tbl kosher salt
1 cup white wine
2 cups homemade chicken broth
1 sprig thyme
2 tbl unsalted butter
lemon peel

Separate 8 eggs. Put yolks in a lightly oiled bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Beat together remaining 4 eggs, leftover whites, and fat. Add matzo meal, nutmeg, salt, mix well. Refrigerate uncovered one hour.

Reduce wine over gentle simmer by 75%. Add stock and thyme, and reduce to 1 cup. Remove thyme, set sauce aside.

Get a big pot of water heated to 180 degrees.

Lay out plastic wrap and grease one side. Place blob of matzo ball dough in the center and work into a circle, slightly larger than twice the diameter of an egg yolk. Place chilled yolk in the center, then bring the dough around the yolk. Gently(!) seal. If it doesn't quite come to the top, drape with a little extra dough and connect to the rest of the ball. Make sure there are no holes, it must be completely encased. As you finish each, return to the refrigerator.

Place balls into 180 degree water, one at a time, allowing each to set for a few seconds so they don't stick. Poach for about six minutes.

Quickly reduce temperature of the water bath to 140-145 degrees by adding ice cubes. Reduce burner until you've got it steady. Don't go over 145, or your yolks might set. Continue poaching up to twenty minutes.

Bring sauce to simmer. Mount with cold butter, whisking hard.

Place one or two matzo balls in center of bowl, top and surround with a few tablespoons of sauce. Grate long, thin curls of lemon peel over top.

Unkosher Variations:
Carbonara: use bacon fat in lieu of schmaltz, crush bacon strip around plate
Matzo Ball aux Lardons: place in the center of a mound of frisée, and scatter with lardons.