Matzo Ball Soup
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 quarts water
- 1/2–1 whole chicken
- 2 whole unpeeled onions
- 4 parsnips, peeled and left whole
- 1/2 cup celery leaves, plus 2 stalks
- 1 rutabaga, peeled and quartered
- 1 turnip, peeled and quartered
- 6 peeled, whole carrots
- 6 tb chopped parsley
- 6 tb snipped dill
- 1 tb salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
For the matzo balls
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tb chicken fat or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup seltzer or club soda
- 1 cup matzo meal
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put the water and the chicken in a large pot and bring the water to a low simmer. Skim off the froth as it cooks.
- Add the onions, parsnips, celery, 3/4 of the rutabaga, turnip, 4 of the carrots, the parsley, 4tb of the dill, and the salt and pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2.5 hours, adjusting the seasoning to taste.
- Strain, remove the chicken, discard the vegetables, and refrigerate the liquid. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and cut the meat into bite size chunks. Refrigerate. When the stock is chilled, remove and fat that may have risen to the surface.
- Just before serving, reheat the soup. Bring to a boil. Cut the remaining 2 carrots into thin strips and add to the soup, along with the remaining rutabaga cut into thin strips. Add the chicken and simmer about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked. Add the matzo balls and serve with the remaining snipped dill.
For the matzo balls
- Either follow the recipe on the pack of organic matzo meal in your box, or if you like light, airy matzo balls, you’ll love this recipe.
- Mix the eggs well with a fork. Add the chicken fat or oil, soda water, matzo meal, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Dip your hands in cold water and make 12 balls slightly smaller than ping-pong balls.
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and place the matzo balls in the water. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or until soft. Drop them in your matzo ball soup and serve.