Chicken Soup for the Soul

My friend Michelle (who I know from my USY Israel Pilgrimage trip) asked me for a chicken soup recipe to bring to a friend’s Passover Seder. I am putting down the recipe that we use here in our home, but I have to note that this is not like any other recipe that I write, in that there are no exact amounts for most of the ingredients. I often say that baking is science and cooking is art. Well if cooking is art, then making Chicken soup is the highest form of art.

So here for your gastronomical enjoyment is Chicken Soup with Matza Balls

Ingredients:

1 Chicken
carrots
celery
parsnips
turnips
1 large or 2 medium leeks
1 medium to large sweet potato
garlic
dill
parsley

I usually use a chicken cut up into quarters. The best would be to cut up your own chicken so that you have all of the back pieces but you can buy one in quarters from the supermarket. The chicken should be about 3 lbs.

Place the cleaned chicken in a large pot. There should be ample room in the pot for the chicken, the rest of the ingredients and plenty of water. Cover the chicken with water to fill about 3/4 of the pot. Bring to boil and allow to boil for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the pot is coming to a boil, cut up all the vegetables into 1/2″ chunks. Chop the herbs as well.

Depending upon how clean the chicken was, there will be some stuff floating in the water as well as some chicken fat. You should lower the heat and skim this off at this point. Add all the vegetables (except the dill and parsley) and simmer covered for at least 2 hours up to 6. The longer the water simmers the more chicken flavor. Taste the soup. If you think it needs more flavor, simmer longer.

15 minutes before the soup is done, add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

You can serve it at this point, or allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, the chicken fat should have solidified on the top of the pot. You can easily remove it.

Matza Balls

Matza balls are actually very easy. You just need to follow these simple directions for about 10 Matza Balls

Beat 2 eggs with 2 TBS of oil. Add a tsp each of salt and white pepper. I also like to add a tsp of ginger. Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of matza meal in ¼ cup increments. Mix in well after each addition. The mix should still be a bit watery so watch the mix and stop adding matza meal if it starts to get thick. If you think it is too thick, add a little water or seltzer.

It is important now to refrigerate the mix for at least 30 minutes up to an hour. You can cook the matza balls in the soup or in a pot of water. Either way, bring the liquid to a boil. To make the balls with your hands, wet them and then take a bit of mix and roll a ball in your hand. Do not overwork the balls. Drop into the boiling liquid. You can also make with melon ball scoop. After all of the balls are in the liquid, cover the pot and boil for about 15 minutes. You should end up with very light and fluffy matza balls.

That is about it. Any questions let me know.

Enjoy!