Chicken Matzo Ball Soup

Cook Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

Chicken soup
1 whole chicken, approximately 1.6kg, cut into 8 pieces
400g chicken wings
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 large brown onion, unpeeled, quartered
2 large carrots, peeled, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 large parsnip, roughly chopped
2 eschallots, unpeeled, halved
2 bay leaves
½ tbsp black peppercorns
5 sprigs parsley
Handful dill sprigs

Matzo balls
¾ cup matzo meal
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp schmaltz (chicken fat), melted (you can use grapeseed oil instead)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp finely chopped dill

Dill, roughly chopped, to serve

Method

Place all ingredients including the chicken into a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium-low.

Season with sea salt and simmer stock for approximately two more hours, skimming fat from surface occasionally, until reduced by one-third. Strain chicken stock through a sieve into a large saucepan, reserving the celery and carrots to return to the soup, discarding the remaining solids. Season to taste.

In a medium bowl combine matzo meal, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and baking powder using a fork. In a separate bowl, whisk schmaltz (or grapeseed oil) and eggs together with a fork.

Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, add the dill and gently mix together with a fork until just combined – the mixture should resemble wet sand. Cover and chill for 20 – 30 minutes.

Return chicken soup to the boil over medium heat. Roll the heaped tablespoons of the chilled matzo meal into balls. Once the soup returns to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and carefully drop the matzo balls into the liquid. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 30 – 35 minutes or until fluffy and soft – checking at 30 minutes. The balls should be floating on the surface of the soup.

To serve, using a slotted spoon transfer matzo balls to serving bowls – 2 to 3 per bowl. Return carrots, celery and shredded chicken to the soup, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with dill and freshly ground pepper.

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Chicken Marylands with braised celery