CHICKEN SOUP WITH MATZO BALLS

Prep Time: 3 Hours
Yields: 6 Servings

Comment:
I first discovered this recipe in Celebration: The Book of Jewish Festivals sent to me by my good friend Malcolm Taub of New York. Malcolm thought I should familiarize myself with the foods and traditions of cultures other than those of Cajun and Creole origin...and you know, I think he was right.

Ingredients for Chicken Soup:
1 (4–5 pound) chicken
1 gallon cold water
3 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
2 onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic, sliced
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
6 sprigs fresh dill

Method:
Rinse chicken under cold running water. Drain well. Cut into quarters and place in a stockpot. Add all ingredients except salt, pepper and dill. Simmer 2 hours, skimming surface occasionally to remove impurities. Strain soup and cool. Remove chicken and set aside for later use. Refrigerate stock until fat rises to top and can be separated from liquid, preferably overnight. Reserve 3 tablespoons of chicken fat for matzo balls. Once matzo balls are made, bring stock to a simmer. Add matzo balls and cook 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary. To serve, ladle soup and 1 matzo ball along with poached chicken meat into 6 bowls and garnish each with a sprig of fresh dill. If you prefer not to serve the chicken in soup, consider using it in a chicken salad.

Ingredients for Matzo Balls:
3 eggs, separated
3 tbsps chicken fat
½ tsp salt
3 tbsps hot water or chicken stock
¾ cup matzo meal

Method:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk yolks until light and thick. Add chicken fat along with salt and chicken soup. Blend well. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff, but not too dry. Gently fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Once blended, fold in the matzo meal with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate 1 hour or until batter is stiff enough to form balls. Remove a portion of matzo mix and roll into golf ball sized portions.