Matzo Ball Soup, aka Jewish penicillin, is the epitome of comfort food. Whether you’re Jewish or not, chances are you’ve had a bowl of matzo ball soup in your life and I’m sure it put a huge smile on your face.
Every family has their secret to making this Jewish staple, but I like to keep mine simple. The matzo balls should be light and fluffy and the broth should be the perfect balance of salty, fragrant and herby. The trick is to use homemade chicken broth, although store-bought works just fine in a pinch!
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Matzo Ball Soup
Servings: 12 matzo balls
Ingredients
- 1 packet Streit’s Matzo Ball Mix
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable or grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon Vegeta Gourmet Seasoning
- 4 quarts of water
- Chicken Broth see recipe below or use store bought
- 2 carrots sliced into thin rounds
- Fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
- Follow the directions on the package of Streit’s Matzo Ball Mix. Mix well in a bowl with the eggs and oil, and let sit, covered in the refrigerator, for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Place the Vegeta and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, form the matzo balls into 1” diameter balls, placing each into the boiling water as you roll them. Cover the pot tightly and cook for 30 minutes.
- While you are cooking the matzo balls, heat the Chicken Broth over high heat in a separate pot until boiling. Then cover, turn to low and let simmer.
- Once the matzo balls are finished cooking and you are ready to serve, take each ball out of the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon and place into serving bowls. Spoon the broth into the bowls and place 3-5 carrot rounds in each bowl. Garnish with fresh dill and serve immediately.
- Alternatively, once the matzo balls are finished cooking, you can strain them out of the cooking liquid and let them cool completely on a plate or sheet pan. Store them in the refrigerator in a Ziplock bag with 1 cup of cooking liquid for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, take them out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. Bring the Chicken Broth to a boil and place the matzo balls into the hot broth, letting them cook for one minute. Spoon the balls and the broth into individual soup bowls and place 3-5 carrot rounds in each bowl. Garnish with fresh dill and serve immediately.
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Chicken Broth
Servings: 10 cups
Ingredients
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 6 sprigs of fresh parsley
- 1 whole chicken giblets removed, cut into 8 parts
- 3 medium-sized carrot peeled and cut in half
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion peeled and cut into quarters
- 4 stalks of celery cut in half
- ¼ of a medium-sized celery root peeled
- 2 medium-sized parsnips peeled and cut in half
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 quarts cold water
Instructions
- Take the bay leaves and parsley and tie together with kitchen twine. Place in a large stockpot with the rest of the ingredients.
- Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Using a small ladle, scoop any fat or scum that has floated to the top of the water. Turn the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for an hour and a half, scooping the scum off the top every 15 minutes.
- Turn of the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Keep the chicken for later use. For example, you can shred it and use in the matzah ball soup or put into a salad.