Serves 4
660 min
Edith's Matzo Ball Soup
Recipe GLPR5fc74775f191ab
A classic Jewish chicken and vegetable soup built on a rich, aromatic broth. Whole chicken and bones simmer gently with onions, parsnips, carrots, fennel, celery, and parsley, enriched with kombu and bay leaves. This warming, homestyle soup serves four and develops deep flavor over more than ten hours of slow cooking.
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Ingredients
1½ lb. chicken bones
1 whole chicken (3–4 lbs.), giblets removed
2 large yellow onions, peeled
4 medium parsnips, peeled
2 medium carrots, peeled
1 small fennel bulb
2 celery stalks, washed
¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 piece dried kombu (6 by 5 inches)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. kosher salt
Directions
Place the chicken bones and whole chicken in a large pot. Cover with cold water until the chicken and bones are submerged by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface during the first few minutes.
Once the broth is mostly clear and the major impurities have been skimmed, reduce the heat to low and add the onions, parsnips, carrots, fennel bulb, celery stalks, parsley, dried kombu, bay leaves, and kosher salt.
Maintain a gentle simmer, partially covered, for approximately 10 to 11 hours. The broth will deepen in color and develop a rich, complex flavor. Skim any remaining impurities from the surface as they appear during the first hour of cooking.
Carefully remove the whole chicken from the pot and set aside on a cutting board until cool enough to handle. Remove any meat from the bones if desired, or leave it attached for presentation.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids (bones, vegetables, and aromatics). The finished broth should be clear and golden with a robust poultry flavor.
Return the strained broth to a clean pot and gently reheat if necessary. Portion the broth into bowls and serve hot, optionally topped with shredded or diced chicken. The internal temperature of the poultry should have reached 165°F during the long simmer.
