Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, about 1.8 kg, jointed into 8 pieces
• 3.5 litres cold water
• 2 onions, quartered
• 4 carrots, 1 halved and 3 cut into coins
• 3 celery sticks, cut into lengths
• 1 parsnip, halved
• 1 small bunch dill
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 110 g matzo meal
• 4 large eggs
• 60 ml schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), melted
• 60 ml chilled seltzer or soda water
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp fine salt, for the matzo balls
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill, for the matzo balls

Before you cook

• Joint the chicken and rinse the pieces under cold water.
• Tie the dill and parsley together with kitchen string so you can lift them out in one go.
• Melt the schmaltz gently and let it cool until it is warm rather than hot.

Steps

1. Put the chicken pieces in a large stockpot and cover them with the 3.5 litres of cold water.
2. Bring the pot slowly up to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, which takes about 25 minutes.
3. Skim the grey scum from the surface until the broth runs clear.
4. Add the onions, halved carrot, celery, parsnip, the herb bundle, peppercorns and 2 teaspoons of salt.
5. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours, never letting the surface do more than shiver, so the broth stays clear.
6. Whisk the eggs and melted schmaltz together in a bowl until smooth.
7. Whisk in the seltzer, fine salt and chopped dill.
8. Fold in the matzo meal and baking powder with a fork until just combined, and stop as soon as no dry meal remains.
9. Cover the bowl and chill the mixture for 45 minutes so it firms up.
10. Lift the chicken and vegetables out of the broth with tongs and strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pan.
11. Pull the meat from two of the chicken pieces, shred it and set it aside.
12. Bring a wide pan of well-salted water to a gentle simmer.
13. Roll the chilled mixture into 12 balls with wet hands, handling them as lightly as possible.
14. Lower the balls into the simmering water, cover the pan tightly and cook them for 35 minutes without lifting the lid.
15. Simmer the carrot coins in the strained broth for 8 minutes until tender.
16. Return the shredded chicken to the broth and season it until it tastes rounded and savoury.
17. Lift the matzo balls out with a slotted spoon, set two in each bowl and ladle the hot broth, carrots and chicken around them.