"This dish is based on my grandmother's recipe. It was the first thing I ever learned to cook."
Info
- Prep time: 50 minutes
- Cooking: 2 hours
- Total time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10
Ingredients
Chicken stock
- 2 to 3 quarts low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 1 whole chicken, about 3 pounds, trussed
Matzo balls
- 1 1/4 cups matzo meal
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 5 large eggs (3 of them separated)
- 1/4 cup melted chicken fat (schmaltz) or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup finely minced onion
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for shaping the balls
Soup vegetables and herbs
- 4 large sprigs dill
- 4 large sprigs parsley
- 1 large carrot, sliced thin
- 2 celery stalks, sliced thin
- 1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 pound rutabaga, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Step 1: Simmer the chicken
Pour 2 quarts of the stock into a large pot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Slide in the chicken, then let the liquid come back just to a simmer. To keep the bird fully submerged, weigh it down with a small heatproof plate, topping up with more stock if necessary. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and let it cook gently until the chicken is done through, roughly 1 1/2 hours.
Step 2: Pull the chicken and strain the broth
Lift out the chicken and allow it to cool a little. Pull the meat into rough pieces and set them aside, discarding the skin and bones. Pour the stock through a strainer into a second large pot, then spoon off the fat that rises to the surface.
Step 3: Mix the matzo batter
While the chicken simmers, whisk together in a large bowl the matzo meal, granulated garlic, baking powder, baking soda, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs with the 3 yolks, the schmaltz and the minced onion. In a separate clean bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the 3 egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Stir the schmaltz mixture into the dry ingredients, then stir in one-third of the beaten whites until blended. Fold in the rest of the whites gently, just until no streaks are visible.
Step 4: Shape and chill the balls
Cover a baking sheet with plastic wrap. In a small bowl, mix the vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon of water. With damp, oiled hands, roll scoops of batter (about 2 tablespoons each) into balls, being as gentle as you can — you should get 8 to 12. Set them on the baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes so their surfaces firm up slightly.
Step 5: Finish the soup
Use kitchen string to tie the dill and parsley into a bundle. Bring the strained stock back to a simmer. Add the carrot, celery, diced onion, rutabaga and the herb bundle, and season with salt and pepper. Once it simmers again, drop in the matzo balls. Cover and cook over moderate heat, rotating the balls a few times, until they have puffed up and are cooked through, about 25 minutes. Add the reserved chicken and heat just until warm. Take out the herb bundle, taste, and adjust with salt and pepper.
A Note on Passover
When preparing this soup for Passover, choose ingredients that carry a kosher-for-Passover designation.
