FAMILY SPECIAL MATZO BALL SOUP

Print Recipe

https://alcoeats.com/blogs/dairy-free/family-special-matzo-ball-soup

• 6 Servings

Ingredients

For the Chicken Stock

• 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 pound chicken wings (or necks, and/or backs)
• 2 large yellow onions (unpeeled and quartered)
• 6 celery stalks (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 4 large carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 large parsnip (peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 large shallot (quartered)
• 1 head of garlic (halved crosswise)
•  6 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

For the Matzo ball mixture

• 3 large eggs, (beaten and blended)
• ¾ cup matzo meal
• ¼ cup melted schmaltz (i.e., chicken fat)
• 3 tablespoons club soda
• 1-¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For Assembling

• 2 small carrots (peeled and sliced diagonally)
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill (coarsely chopped)
• Fresh black pepper (Coarsely ground)

Cooking Instructions 

Chicken stock

• Take a large pot and boil all of the ingredients and about 12 cups cold water. After about 20 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer until the chicken breasts are cooked through.
• Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate (remember, the remaining chicken parts are strictly for stock). Let the breasts cool slightly, then remove the breast meat and put the bones back into the stock. Shred the meat. Let it cool. Wrap tightly, and chill.
•  Continue simmering the stock, skimming its surface occasionally, until the volume reduces by one-third or about 2 hours. Strain the chicken stock through a fine sieve into a large saucepan (or an airtight container, if you’re not using it right away). Discard all solids. You should have about 8 cups of chicken stock with you now.

Matzo ball mixture

• Mix the eggs, schmaltz, club soda, matzo meal, and salt in a medium-sized bowl (the mixture should resemble wet sand; it will firm up as it rests). Cover and chill the mix for a minimum of 2 hours.

ASSEMBLY

• Take a large saucepan and boil the chicken stock in it. Add the carrots and season the stock with salt. Reduce the heat and let it simmer till the carrots turn tender or about 5–7 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat. Add the reserved breast meat and cover it. Set the soup aside.
•  Boil well-salted water in a large pot. Scoop out tablespoon (or 2 tablespoons) portions of the matzo ball mixture and, with wet hands, gently roll them into balls.
•  Add the prepared matzo balls to the boiling water and reduce heat so the water rests at a gentle simmer (because too much bouncing around will break up the matzo balls). Cover the pot and cook your matzo balls until they get cooked through and start to sink, or about 20–25 minutes.
•  Finally, using a spoon, transfer the matzo balls to bowls. Ladle over with soup, season with pepper, and top with the coarsely chopped fresh dill.