Stuffed Matzo Balls with Chicken Soup

This recipe is from a cookbook complied by “Aunt” Betty as a legacy to her family and because she was such an amazing cook. She wasn’t actually my aunt, but I called her that as our families were so close. Her husband (“Uncle” Mel) and my father became friends in the 1930’s and kept in touch until my father passed away in 2018.

Stuffed Matzo Balls with Chicken Soup

Jewish Holidays, Soups

Author: "Aunt" Betty

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Stuffed Matzo Balls

• 5 lg eggs
• 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1 cup matzo meal
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup club soda
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup finely diced cooked chicken
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried sage

Chicken Soup

• 4 lbs chicken, quartered
• 3 qts cold water
• 6 lg carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 lg stalks of celery with leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh dill
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 3 small parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lg onion cut into 8 wedges
• 4 sprigs dill
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Stuffed Matzo Balls

• Whisk 4 eggs and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to blend.
• Mix in matzo meal and salt.
• Add club soda, blend well, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes.
• Add parsley and garlic, sauté 1 minute.
• Transfer vegetable mixture to processor. Add chicken, 1 egg, salt, nutmeg and pepper and sage. Grind to a coarse paste.
• Transfer to small bowl. Can be prepared 2 hours ahead and refrigerated.
• Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap then lightly brush plastic with oil.
• Using moistened hands, roll matzo ball mixture into 12 (1-1/2 inch) matzo balls.
• Make a deep hole in matzo balls, place 1 tablespoon of filling into each hole, then reform matzo balls to enclose stuffing.
• Drop matzo balls into boiling water, cover and cook 35 minutes.

Chicken Soup

• In stock pot heat chicken and water to a boil, skimming foam.
• Leave out 2 cups of the sliced carrots, 1 sliced celery stalk, dill and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add every else to the pot.
• Simmer partially covered until chicken is cooked, about 1 hour.
• Remove chicken to plate. When cool, discard skin and bones and shred meat.
• Strain soup through cheesecloth-lined sieve into clean pot. Press solids to extract liquid.
• Add remaining carrots, celery and salt. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• To serve, combine soup and matzo balls then sprinkle with dill.

Notes

Adapted from "Thyme in the Kitchen" cookbook.