Matzah Ball Soup!
Passover prep really has kicked into high gear this weekend, with lists upon lists so we don’t forget anything! I even sent out a Google form to everyone coming because we decided to roast chicken pieces and we want to be sure we know which parts everyone prefers – and how many, in some cases!
The matzah balls and chicken soup have actually been in the freezer for a couple of weeks now, and, because I got some requests, I’ve been meaning to write up the recipes.
Hank has always been the matzah ball maker around here, and his recipe is scratched out on a piece of yellow legal paper which we return to the bulletin board in the office every year. What really gives it flavor is the schmaltz – rendered chicken fat – which you can find in the kosher frozen section of many supermarkets. I make the soup, for which I don’t exactly have a recipe, but I’ve offered some general guidelines below.
For everyone who celebrates, have a wonderful Seder! And this year, since these spring holidays coincide (which is not always the case), to those who celebrate Happy Easter and Ramadan Mubarak!
MATZAH BALLS
Makes about a dozen, can be doubled (see note below)
INGREDIENTS:
4 large eggs
1 cup matzah meal
½ cup water
⅓ cup schmaltz (chicken fat), melted and cooled to room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch fresh ground pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine thoroughly. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. To check for seasoning, with wet hands, make a single mini matzah ball and cook in the boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Remove, taste, and add salt and pepper to the remaining mixture if needed.
With wet hands, form matzah balls in desired size with a light touch — don’t compress them too much. We tend to like a shade bigger than a golf ball because they will expand as they cook. Cook for 25-30 minutes in the boiling water. Remove and cool before storing in the refrigerator. If freezing, place in a single layer on a half sheet pans. Once frozen they can be placed in a freezer bag or plastic container.
When serving, place frozen matzah balls in soup and heat until warmed through, allowing the soup to flavor the matzah balls.
Note: If you make a double batch of the mixture, depending on the size of your pot, you may need to boil the matzah balls in two batches.
CHICKEN SOUP
No idea how much it makes! It depends! Last time was 5+ quarts!
INGREDIENTS:
2-3 quarts chicken stock, low sodium if store-bought or homemade
2-3 bone-in skin on chicken breasts
6-8 chicken backs or other bones (not totally necessary, but they do enrich the soup; we often ask the butcher to cut up a whole chicken for us and I save the backs in the freezer for making stock and soup; chicken feet are great for this, but are more difficult to procure)
2-3 onions, skin on, cut in half
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2-3 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 turnip or 2-3 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
5 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
10-12 peppercorns
Kosher salt to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Place the stock, chicken, chicken bones, onion, carrots, celery, and turnip or parsnip in a large stock pot. Add water to fill, leaving about 2-3 inches of room at the top.
Bring to a boil, keeping an eye on it as foam will likely form. Moderate the heat as needed to keep it from boiling over as the foam can form a bit of a crust. Skim the foam off and discard.
Once it seems like there is no more foam forming, add the parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, and a tablespoon of kosher salt. Adjust the heat so it maintains a vigorous simmer and cook for 2-3 hours. Taste occasionally, and add salt as needed.
Allow to cool. Remove the chick breasts and set aside for chicken salad or chicken pot pie or for some other use. Strain out the remaining vegetables and bones. Place into clean containers and refrigerate.
Once cold, skim the fat off the top and discard. (It’s fine if you don’t get it all.) I usually strain mine twice, once with a regular strainer and a second time with a fine-meshed skimmer, but you can also just be mindful to leave any stray bits at the bottom. Place into containers and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Defrost in a large pot adding matzah balls for Passover or whatever else you might want at other times.