TOOJAYS MATZO BALL SOUP RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Trim off neck flap all the way up to the top of the wishbone. Trim fat and skin from around the back cavity of the chicken. Reserve both for schmaltz and grebenes. Cut chicken into quarters. Place meat in large pot with onions, and cover with about 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat , and simmer 2 hours.
• Add carrots and celery to the soup; simmer an additional hour. Season to taste with salt.
• Remove chicken pieces, and set aside. You may reserve them for another use, or shred the meat for the soup. Keep the chicken covered, and at room temperature before shredding.
• Dice reserved skin and fat into 1 inch pieces. Cook in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally. Make sure the pan never gets so hot as to cause the rendered fat to smoke. When the grebenes are crisp and brown, remove them to a cutting board and drain schmaltz into a small nonplastic bowl to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, mince the grebenes finely.
• To make the matzoh balls, blend fat or oil and eggs together. Mix matzoh meal and salt together. Combine the two mixtures, and mix well. Add 4 1/2 tablespoons soup stock or water; mix until uniform. Stir in minced grebenes. Cover bowl, and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Bring soup to a boil. Reduce flame, and drop balls approximately 1 inch in diameter into the slightly boiling water. Add dill. Cover pot, and cook 30 to 40 minutes. DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER FROM THE POT WHLE COOKING!

Steps:

• first of all you make the matzo mixture because it has to be chilled in the refrigerator for as long as possible. i basically used the recipe on the manischewitz box container except i substituted olive oil for vegetable oil. traditionally they're supposed to be made with schmaltz. also i used seltzer water because the jews say that it makes the matzo balls lighter.
• mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl, adding the seltzer last and more lightly with your hands until uniform. don't worry that it looks to too runny because it will firm up in the fridge. Cover and refrigerate while you make the soup.
• put chicken thigh in a pot and add water until the chicken is submerged plus about 2 inches. bring to a boil then, simmer for 30 minutes.
• meanwhile, quarter the onion, chop one carrot and one stalk of celery into inch wide pieces, and crush the garlic. dice the other stalk of celery and carrot into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside for later.
• skim the top of the stock with a wire mesh spoon. add the onion, garlic and big vegetable pieces along with 1 tbsp salt. cover and simmer for an hour.
• bring a pot of water and a little salt to a boil then reduce to a simmer. fill a shallow bowl with cold water. take the out the matzo meal and form into balls with a tablespoon and your hands. make sure to dip your hands and the spoon in the water between every ball. drop each of the balls into the water then cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes. the matzo balls should expand about to 1 1/2 their original side; i made six from the mixture.
• remove the chicken from the pot and strain the soup, discarding the vegetables. return the broth to the pot and add the remaining carrots and celery. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender.
• meanwhile remove the skin from the chicken and tear the meat into shreds. add the chicken shreds back into the soup and simmer for another 5 minutes. remove from heat and taste. Add the pepper and more salt if necessary.
• test the matzo balls with a fork. you should be able to insert it without feeling any change in pressure within. transfer the balls to the soup pot with either a slotted spoon or tongs. cover and let sit for 15 minutes so that they can absorb the flavor. reheat if necessary and serve.