Matzah Madness

mazel tov!

In honor of Passover next weekend, I’ve made one of my favorite comfort foods: matzah ball soup. Now, not only am I not Jewish, but there are very few (if any) Jewish delis in Texas, so I was never fortunate enough to have it until college. And honestly, I feel cheated. Soft, fluffy dumplings swimming in a tasty broth – what’s not to love about that? Some of my Jewish friends might call me a putz because my version has chicken in it, so it’s a lot like chicken noodle soup. I also make my matzah balls with sauteed leeks and ginger ale, which is why they’re so light and fluffy.

Chicken Matzah Ball Soup
– 3 boneless chicken breasts
– 3 chicken bouillon cubes
– 4 bay leaves
– 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
– 2 leeks, diced
– 4 eggs
– 2 tablespoons of ginger ale
– ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
– 1 ¼ cups of matzo meal
– 64 oz of low-sodium chicken stock
– 2 carrots, chopped
– 2 celery stalks, chopped
– ½ teaspoon of dried thyme
– ¼ teaspoon of dried sage
– Salt and pepper
– Olive oil

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Fill a Dutch oven ¾ of the way with water, and add 2 bouillon cubes and 2 bay leaves. Add the chicken breasts, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and when cool, cut into small pieces or shred. Keep the liquid in the pot and set aside.

In a skillet, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, ginger ale, ginger, ½ teaspoon of pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir in the matzo meal and leeks. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Next, roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls, place on a plate and chill for about 30 minutes. Add 1 bouillon cube to the Dutch oven with the reserved cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Add the matzah balls, cover and cook until puffed up and tender, about 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the matzo balls and reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. (Matzah balls can be used right away or covered and chilled in the fridge up for 3 days.)

oy!

In a large stockpot, bring the chicken stock, reserved cup of cooking liquid and 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the carrots, celery, chicken, 2 bay leaves, 1 bouillon cube and season with thyme and sage, plus salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes until veggies are tender. Add the matzah balls and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, and then ladle into bowls and eat.

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