Simple to make and satisfying to eat, matzoh ball soup is a favorite at Jewish celebrations. This recipe yields 16 matzoh balls and 5 to 6 quarts of chicken soup. Serves 8 to 10.
Steps:
- Beat the eggs slightly to combine whites and yolks.
- Remove the fat from cavities of hens.
- Place one hen and 1/2 of the vegetables in a large stockpot with enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil and lower heat immediately.
- Stir in the seltzer, salt, pepper and schmaltz.
- Add the matzoh meal gradually, stirring until ingredients are completely combined.
- Skim the foam from the surface of the water and make sure that heat is low enough that only a few bubbles appear.
- Add the peppercorns and parsley and simmer for two hours partially covered.
- Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
- Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil.
- Skim foam occasionally. The meat should be tender, but should not fall apart easily.
- Moisten your palms and make balls using about 2 tbsp. batter for each.
- Remove hen from water and place on a large platter.
- Cook matzoh balls covered in the pot for 1/2 hour.
- When cool enough, remove meat from the bones and return the meat, skin and bones to the soup.
- Serve one or two matzoh balls in each bowl of chicken soup.
- Simmer partly covered for another hour.
- Strain the soup through a colander and discard everything but the resulting broth.
- Allow soup to cool, then refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the hardened fat from the surface of the refrigerated broth and put broth in stockpot with the remaining hen and vegetables.
- Add more water if necessary to cover.
- Repeat steps 11 through 14, adding dill to the pot instead of peppercorn and parsley.
- Strain the broth and serve with 1-2 matzoh balls for each bowl of soup.