Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Soup is my absolute favorite food. I could eat soup all the time. I love many different varieties of soup. But I think my favorite of all time is the classic chicken soup with matzo balls. This is a staple in Jersey (that’s where I’m from originally) diners. I went through a phase when I was about 13 where I’d go to my local diner and order two bowls of matzo ball soup. Thats all I wanted to eat!

So being as I’m in England now and they don’t really have diners here nor do any places I know of serve matzo ball soup (moth ball soup as my husband so eloquently nicknamed it! haha), I’ve had to learn how to make it myself and its actually come out quite good!

Chicken Noodle Soup
Source: Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. canola oil
1 chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 lb., quartered (I use a corn-fed free range chicken as this makes a really flavorful broth and chicken but you can use whatever you have available)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large yellow onions, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch
  rounds
1 bunch celery, tops and bottoms trimmed, cut
  into 1-inch chunks
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 quarts water
1 bay leaf
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 lb. dried fettuccine, broken into 2-inch pieces (I omitted any noodles as I was having matzo balls with mine)
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Add the onions, carrots, celery, chicken broth, water, bay leaf, thyme sprigs and coriander. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the meat is nearly falling off the bones, about 1 1/2 hours. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs, transfer the chicken to a colander and let cool to the touch.

Meanwhile, in a large pot two-thirds full of boiling salted water, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles in a colander and cool under cold running water; set aside.

Remove the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones, and cut the chicken into 1/2-inch pieces. Skim the fat from the broth and return the chicken to the pot along with the pasta, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the pasta is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust seasonings as needed, stir in the parsley and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Matzo Balls
Source: Allrecipes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons pareve margarine,melted
2 eggs
1 cup matzo meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water, or as needed

In a medium bowl, whisk together the margarine and eggs until well blended. Combine the matzo meal and salt; lightly stir into the egg mixture until the liquid is absorbed, and the meal is damp. Gradually mix in the water so that the mixture holds together, but is not too wet. Cover and refrigerate while bringing the water to a boil.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. When the water is at a full boil, remove the matzo mixture from the refrigerator. Using wet hands, shape spoonfuls of the dough into balls. Do not pack the balls together too tightly.

Drop balls into the boiling water, and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from water and serve in soup or cold milk. Do not let the matzo balls sit out too long, or they will harden.