My husband created a monster when he first made me this soup! Be prepared to crave this soup for days, even weeks, after you’ve finished all the leftovers.
Matzo ball mix can be found in the Kosher section of most supermarkets. Our local super Walmart carries it in their soup section. You can, of course, make matzo balls from scratch, but this way is slightly easier.
Rough chop 2 carrots, 3-4 ribs celery, and 1 onion, and place in a 4-6 quart stock pot or Dutch oven with chicken pieces. Add enough water to fill the cooking vessel to about an inch below the top. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from stock pot with a slotted spoon, place in a metal container & put in freezer to cool quickly for about 10 minutes (stock should continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes).
While chicken is cooling, prepare 1 package of matzo ball mix according to directions on the box – ours calls for 2 eggs and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Matzo dough will be sticky, so keep hands wet while you are forming your matzo balls, which should be no larger than a ping-pong ball. Matzo balls will get bigger as they cook.
Remove chicken from freezer. Remove meat from bones, discarding the waste – fat, tendons, bones, skin, etc. (Note: in our house, this is the point that the dogs get VERY excited because they are spoiled rotten and get all the scraps – except the bones, of course.) Rough chop or shred the chicken meat and reserve.
Strain stock and discard (in our case, compost) the rough-chopped veggies. Return strained stock to cooking pot & bring to boil. Add matzo balls to the boiling stock, then reduce heat to simmer & cook for 30 minutes. When they are done cooking, remove matzo balls with slotted spoon; cover and reserve. At this point, remove all liquid from your cooking pot & reserve.
Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to now-empty cooking pot and turn heat to medium. Add garlic and saute for about 90 seconds. Add onion, carrot, celery, and season with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are translucent, 3-5 minutes.
Add reserved stock plus 1 quart of prepared chicken broth to the sauteing vegetables and bring to boil. After it has boiled, simmer for about 30 minutes (liquid will reduce during this time).
Finally, add reserved matzo balls, chicken meat, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer until matzo balls are warmed through, about 10 minutes. Right before serving, check seasoning for the last time, adding any additional salt and pepper to taste.
Prep: Cook:
Serves: 8 Level: Easy
Prep: Cook:
Serves: 4 Level: Easy
Prep: Cook:
Serves: 4 Level: Easy
Prep: Cook:
Serves: 4 Level: Easy
Prep: Cook:
Serves: 4 Level: Easy
2 Comments
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misseesippee on 9.27.2010
Hi there! I know every family has a different way to make this, but as Amy J commented, you should really refrigerate the matzo mixture before forming the balls, (for no more than 15 minutes).
For ‘puffy cloud’ and not ‘lead balloon’ matzo balls:
I mix 2 Tbsp seltzer, 2 Tbsp schmaltz, (rendered chicken fat), 2 beaten eggs, and a package of matzo ball mix, (or 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp matzo meal + 1/4 tsp salt). Double everything if you have a teenager!
Your soup stock sounds delicious, and very similar to mine, except I add fresh dill, S&P, and use a fat separator on the broth after straining. I simmer the matzo balls in a separate pot of water for 20 minutes, so as not to cloud the broth, and add them to the broth at the end to pick up flavor. I don’t use sauteed vegetables. Clear broth is key. “L’Chayim!”
Amy J on 10.1.2009
As a variation, I buy a rotisserie chicken, remove the meat and make a chicken tea bag: Cut a large square of cheese cloth, add the chicken bones and skin, herbs, the ends of your carrots, celery leaves, the outside of onions, etc. Cook chicken broth with the teabag in it for 20 or so minutes. Add the veggies, cook for another 20 or so, add the chicken. Prepare the matzo ball mix, and put in frig for not more than 5 minutes or so to make the “dough” easier to handle (longer than that you will end up with rocks). Make your dumplings and add them in, cooking for about 10 minutes.