Matzo Ball Soup

This is a nice variation on chicken soup.  The matzo balls add substance and have a wonderful flavor.  Matzo balls are a a traditional East European Jewish dumpling made from matzah meal and chicken fat (although vegetable oil is often substituted for chicken fat today).  The matzo balls are shaped by hand and dropped into a pot of salted, boiling water or chicken soup.  Keeping one’s hands wet is vital when handling the sticky dough.  The matzo balls swell during the boiling time of approximately 20 minutes, and come out light or dense, depending on the precise recipe.
Matzo Ball Soup
  • 1 package matzo ball mix
  • chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup cooked chicken
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil

Prepare the matzo balls according to the package instructions.

Cook the onion, carrots and celery in the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to “sweat.”

Heat the chicken stock, add the vegetables, cooked chicken and cooked matzo balls to the stock and heat.

Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Chicken Stock

Homemade chicken Stock is easy to make and can be used to make soups, to deglaze pans and to make gravy. You can start with a whole chicken or chicken pieces. Each time you serve chicken, save the left over chicken carcasses and other parts and put them in the freezer. When you have enough to fill a pot, you are ready to make stock. Chicken feet and necks are usually available at ethnic markets and make good chicken stock.

If you start with uncooked chicken, place the chicken in a roasting pan with cut up onions, celery, and carrots. Roast the chicken and the vegetables at 400 degrees until the chicken is nicely browned. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a pot and cover with water (or for a richer broth, half water and half canned chicken broth.) Over the stove, bring the water (or water and broth) to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow the chicken to simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Remove from heat, allow to cool. Discard the chicken and bones and strain the broth. If not using immediately refrigerate or freeze.