HOMEMADE MATZOH BALL CHICKEN SOUP
I posted that this was my plan today on facebook, and was asked for the recipe. I've find myself continually looking to see where the last post was with my recipe so don't have to reinvent the wheel and this time, I'm posting HERE so it's always in the same place!
MATZOH BALL CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE
1 whole cup up chicken
1 large onion
1 large parsnip
1 large turnip
4 or 5 large carrots
4 or 5 large celery
fresh dill
fresh parsley
salt and pepper
1 or 2 packages of matzoh ball AND soup mix (found in ethnic/jewish food section of supermarket
Step 1 - wash chicken and place in the largest pot you have, and fill the pot with water almost to top (leaving a touch of room for boiling). Place on stove, high heat and bring to a boil.
Step 2 - You'll notice as the water starts to boil, and the chicken gets hot, that the fat will lift to the top. Skim the fat off the top and remove as it floats to the top. This can be a process as it continues to rise up. Once the water is boiling and no more stuff is floating to the top, lower heat to a slow boil (med/low).
Step 3 - Peel onion, and cut an X on both flat sides. Leave onion whole (just an X on both sides), cut ends of parsnip and peel like you would a carrot. Leave whole. Cut ends of turnip and leave whole. Peel carrots and cut in small circle slices. Wash and cut ends of celery and cut in small pieces. Chop Dill (about 2 TBSP). Tie parsley with cooking string and keep whole (bunch).
Step 4 - put ALL ingredients in the pot. If you need to, use ladle to take out a bit of water/broth and place in separate bowl. As water evaporates during cooking, you can add the extra back in! Also add some salt (I only add about a tsp, because you can always add more later), and add some pepper.
Step 5 - cook for about 1 hour at which time you will use a slotted spoon to remove all the chicken pieces only into a bowl. Let everything else still simmer. Let chicken cool a bit, and then with your hands, remove ALL bones and put all chicken meat back into the pot. IMPORTANT -- you need to do this before the chicken starts falling off the bone naturally in the pot as it will be hard to debone the soup. 1 hour into cooking is perfect.
Step 6 - The longer the soup simmers, the better it will taste. (and it even tastes better the 2nd day!).
Step 7 - follow the directions on the box for making the matzoh balls. Cook and make them in a SEPARATE pot from the soup. When they are done, you can ladle some of the broth from the matzoh balls into the other soup to add a bit more "saltiness". When the matzoh balls are ready, your soup is ready. Serve by putting some soup in bowl, and then some matzoh balls in too! Before you serve. remove what's left of the parsley and string. The onion will fall apart all by itself as will the parnsip and turnip!
Storage -- I like to store the soup separate from the matzoh balls because the matzoh balls will absorb a TON of liquid, and get too heavy.
ENJOY!
