MATZO BALL SOUP WITH CELERY AND DILL
Greater than the sum of its parts, matzo ball soup is a wonderful combination of three very simple things: chicken broth (golden brown, deeply savory, lightly seasoned), matzo balls (tender, eggy, schmaltzy dumplings made with ground matzo) and garnish (celery and fresh dill, lots of it). The key to keeping the chicken juicy, tender and something you're excited to eat is by gently simmering the stock (which will also keep the broth crystal clear rather than muddied). You can pick the meat from the chicken and add it back to the soup if you like, or save for next-day chicken salad. For the matzo balls, matzo meal is preferred for its fine texture, but know that you can also grind your own from matzo boards in a food processor.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories soups and stews, main course
Time 3h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Prepare the broth: Combine chicken, onions, garlic, celery and carrots in a large pot. Cover with 12 cups water and season with salt. (If your pot can't handle all that water, fill the pot with as much as you can, and add remaining water as it reduces.)
- Bring to a strong simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low so that the broth is gently simmering.
- Continue to gently simmer, uncovered, until the broth is extremely flavorful and well seasoned, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Using tongs, remove breasts, thighs and legs from the pot (let any skin and bones fall into the pot), leaving everything else behind.
- Pick the meat from the chicken, discarding any fat, skin, bones, cartilage or any drier pieces of meat that you wouldn't find delicious to eat. Set meat aside to either put back into your soup, or to use in another dish (chicken salad, etc).
- Strain broth (you should have about 10 cups) and return to the pot. Season with salt and pepper (it should be as seasoned and delicious as you'd want it to be when serving). Keep warm, if using same day, or let cool and refrigerate overnight.
- As broth sits, prepare the matzo balls: Combine matzo meal, chives and 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt in a medium bowl. Using a fork, incorporate eggs until well blended. Add chicken fat, followed by club soda, mixing until no lumps remain. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is firm and fully hydrated, at least 2 hours (and up to 24 hours).
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Using your hands, roll matzo ball mixture into balls slightly smaller than the size of a ping pong ball (about 1 1/4-inch in diameter), placing them on a plate or parchment lined baking sheet until all the mixture is rolled (you should have about 24 matzo balls).
- Add matzo balls to the boiling water and cook until floating, puffed and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. (You can always sacrifice one, plucking it from the broth and cutting it in half to check that it's cooked through. The texture should be uniform in color and texture, and the balls shouldn't be dense or undercooked in the center.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to the chicken broth.
- Add celery (and some of the picked chicken meat, if you desire) and season again with salt before ladling into bowls, topping with dill, celery leaves and a crack of freshly ground pepper.
GREEN CHICKEN SOUP WITH DILL MATZO BALLS
Enliven traditional chicken soup with spring-y fennel and a dose of fresh green kale. Dill-flecked matzo balls bring the classic to another level.
Provided by Leah Koenig
Categories Soup/Stew Chicken Passover Kid-Friendly Lunch Sugar Conscious Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher Small Plates
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- For the soup:
- Place chicken, celery, carrots, onions, fennel, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley and dill with stems in a large pot. Add cold water to cover by 1". Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Gently simmer, partially covered, skimming off any foam that accumulates, until chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, about 1 1/2-2 hours.
- While the soup is simmering, make the matzo balls: Using a fork, mix together the eggs, oil, matzo meal, seltzer water, dill, and 2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and keep water at a simmer.
- Moisten your hands with water. Scoop out a rounded tablespoonful of chilled matzo ball batter and very gently pat into a 1" ball (avoid squeezing too hard or rolling too much). Drop into simmering water and repeat with remaining batter. Cover pot and gently simmer until matzo balls are tender and puffed, 40-45 minutes. Drain matzo balls and return to the pot; cover and keep in a warm place.
- Remove chicken and vegetables from the chicken broth with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board; let rest until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids. Return the strained broth to the pot. Using your fingers, remove chicken meat from bones and shred into bite-sized pieces. Slice vegetables into bite-size pieces. Place chicken and vegetables in broth, cover pot, and set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.
- To serve, add kale to broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until kale softens, 3-5 minutes. Season soup generously with salt and pepper.
- Divide matzo balls among bowls and ladle soup on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and dill before serving.
- Do Ahead
- Matzo balls can be cooled to room temperature, then stored, covered, in the fridge up to 1 day. Soup can be made until just before adding kale, cooled to room temperature, then stored in a covered container in the fridge up to 1 day. Reheat, then add kale and simmer for a few minutes before serving.
AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN MATZO BALL SOUP RECIPE - (3.8/5)
Provided by DreiFromBK
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Serves 6 Chicken fat, or schmaltz, is available in the refrigerator or freezer section of most supermarkets. Note that the matzo batter needs to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour before shaping. Ingredients 1. FOR THE MATZO BALLS: Heat chicken fat in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until light golden brown and softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion to large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. (Do not clean pot.) 2. Whisk eggs, 5 tablespoons water, dill, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into cooled onion mixture. Fold in matzo meal until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours. (Batter will thicken as it sits.) 3. Bring 4 quarts water and 2 tablespoons salt to boil in now-empty Dutch oven. Divide batter into 12 portions (about 1 heaping tablespoon each) and place on greased plate. Roll portions into smooth balls between your wet hands and return to plate. Transfer matzo balls to boiling water, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes. 4. Using slotted spoon, transfer matzo balls to colander and drain briefly. Transfer balls to clean plate and let cool to firm up, about 10 minutes. Discard cooking water. (Do not clean pot.) 5. FOR THE SOUP: Meanwhile, heat chicken fat in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery, parsnip, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, covered, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add broth, chicken, and dill and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until chicken is tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer chicken to plate. (Chicken can be used for soup or reserved for another use. If adding to soup, shred with 2 forks into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones.) Season soup with salt and pepper to taste. 6. Transfer soup to now-empty Dutch oven and bring to simmer over medium heat. Carefully transfer matzo balls to hot soup (along with shredded chicken, if using). Cover and cook until matzo balls are heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve. TO MAKE AHEAD: Soup and matzo balls can be fully cooked, cooled, and refrigerated separately in covered containers for up to 2 days. To serve, return soup to simmer over medium heat, add matzo balls, and cook until heated through, about 7 minutes.
GREEN ONION-DILL MATZO BALLS
Steps:
- Melt chicken fat in small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté 30 seconds. Set aside. Whisk eggs and all remaining ingredients in medium bowl to blend well. Stir in onion mixture. Cover; chill at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Drop matzo ball mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto foil, forming 16 mounds. Using wet hands, shape into balls; drop into pot. Cover; boil matzo balls until very tender, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer matzo balls to shallow dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Steam 15 minutes to rewarm.)
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