There is nothing better than soup in the winter. And though it is not quite winter yet, I still like soup in the fall. So this week, I made a fall matzo ball soup. And though it was delicious, it probably would have been better in December.
This recipe is my grandmother's, and I have never in my life tasted better. The matzo balls are fluffy on the outside, but dense in the center and the broth, which comes from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything," is also delicious, tasting strongly of melted chicken fat and salt.
When I was younger, my mother would often make me this soup when I got sick, and I can tell you that it always worked better than antibiotics—not that I am suggesting anyone make this soup rather than following a prescribed course of medication.
In fact, as we move into the cold winter season I cannot emphasize the importance of doctors and flu shots strongly enough.
But, if you are ever feeling a bit run down in this petri dish we call a school, then whip out your stockpot, defrost some chicken, and get cooking.
Ingredients for the stock:
2-3 pounds chicken, with bone (I usually use three chicken thighs, but as long as it adds up to two to three pounds, you can use whatever part of the chicken you want)
1 cup thickly cut onion
1 cup thickly cut carrot
1/2 cup thickly cut celery
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
14 cups water
Step One:
Combine everything in the stockpot and bring the mixture to a roiling boil.
Then, partially cover the broth and lower the heat so that the broth is sending up a few bubbles at a time. Cook for about two hours, until the chicken is so tender it is starting to fall off the bones.
Step Two:
Taste, and add salt if necessary. Refrigerate the broth, and skim off the layer of fat which will form at the top.
This broth can keep in the fridge for about a week, or longer if you boil it every third day. And, of course, you can always freeze it.
Ingredients for the matzo balls:
1 cup of matzo meal
1 tspn salt
1 cup boiling water
2 tspn vegetable oil
2 eggs
Step One:
Mix the matzo meal and the salt. Add the boiling water and the oil, and mix all together.
Step Two:
Let this mixture cool down. Beat the eggs and then add them to the matzo meal. Refrigerate the batter for at least an hour. I like to let the batter rest for longer, but an hour should be fine.
Step Three:
Bring about 20 cups of salted water to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat so that the water is simmering. Roll the matzo batter into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter, and drop them into the water.
Cook them between 20 and 40 minutes. When you're finished, drop them in the soup, and serve. Guaranteed to wipe away the late fall or winter blues.