Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

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Recipe summary

It’s funny how even in one family, there can be so many varieties of the same dish. I always thought my mother made the best chicken soup in her family. It was clear and subtle in flavor. But then I tasted my Auntie Shelley’s version (my mother’s sister) and it was awesome – rich and golden, almost silky in your mouth. I’m a convert and I think you will be too.

Preparation time: 60 minutes
Cooking time: 150 minutes
Yield: 0

Ingredients

Chicken Soup

Matzo balls ingredients and directions follow the soup
1 chicken, quartered and cleaned of fat
4-6 quarts water
1 onion, whole and peeled
2 stalks of celery with leaves cut in half
3 large carrots, whole and peeled
3 parsnips, whole peeled
1 medium turnip peeled
2-3 sprigs, fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Hard as a Rock Matzo Balls

3 large eggs, separated
1 cup matzo meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons melted Nyfat or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill, snipped (optional)

Directions

Chicken Soup

Place chicken, onion, celery stalk with leaves and 1 sprig of dill in stock pot filled with 4-6 quarts of water. I use a stock pot so that there is enough room for the chicken and vegetables without overflowing.
Bring to simmer (just little bubbles around the sides of the pot) –Never to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low. This gentle heating ensures that the soup will remain clear.
Skim soup of fat and scum frequently. This usually takes about 30 minutes. Add 2 carrots, 2 parsnips, half of the turnip, 1 sprig of dill, salt and pepper and cook partially covered for 2 hours over very low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. (See note)
Cut the remaining carrot and parsnip into 1“ coins and cut the remaining turnip half into 1” cubes and steam separately over some of the broth.
Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and vegetables from the broth. Debone the chicken, dice and save the meat for salad or crepes (see recipes). Save the carrots, parsnip and turnips for a delicious mash and discard the celery and onion.
Let the soup cool to room temperature uncovered until cool before refrigerating. If you leave the soup covered to cool, it will turn sour.
Refrigerate soup overnight and carefully remove remaining fat.

Tips & Variations

Best made the day before.

Leaving the vegetables in the soup during cooking gives it a rich golden hue and a sweet flavorful broth. These vegetables will be too mushy to serve with the soup, but great as a mashed side. That’s why I steam some of the vegetables separately to serve with the soup.

For serving: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked diced carrots, parsnips, turnips, some shredded chicken and matzo balls. Add a fresh sprig of dill. Simmer gently to heat so the soup will remain clear.

Garnish with fresh snipped dill.

Hard as a Rock Matzo Balls

Beat egg yolks with water, salt and melted, but somewhat cooled Nyfat in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Slowly beat in egg yolk mixture. Fold in matzo meal, salt (and dill – optional). You stop adding matzo meal only when your spoon can stand alone in the center of the bowl. Start with 1 cup and add more if needed.
Chill mixture for at least 1 hour in the fridge before forming balls.
To form balls, grease the palms of your hands with melted Nyfat and roll soupspoon sized ball until round. Drop into boiling water or chicken stock.
Cover and simmer (very low heat) for 10 minutes. Remove matzo balls from soup with slotted spoon so that all liquid drains off. Let them cool before storing them. If you leave matzo balls in the soup they will disintegrate.

Tips & Variations Store them separately from the soup in a zip lock baggie, otherwise they will disintegrate and the soup will become a cloudy mush.

Return to soup after it has been reheated and simmer for no more than 10 minutes before serving.

A delicious variation is to add 2 tbsp snipped fresh dill to the mixture in step 2.