Ironically, few chicken soups contain much chicken. This is because if the stock is good enough, there’s no need for chicken meat to get the flavor right. However, if you like to have something meaty to chew on, by all means add chicken to your chicken soup. In this article you will learn how to make chicken soup in different styles.
Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls
Traditionally, matzo balls are served in broth, with only carrots (thick cut instead of sliced), but you can add other vegetables, rice or noodles (thin egg noodles are good), and chicken meat. Don’t let tradition stop you from using stocks other than chicken. Beef, vegetable and mushroom stocks are equally delicious, especially for the passatelli and butter dumpling variations, where tradition is less of an issue.
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 6 to 9 cups chicken stock
- 1/4 cup minced or grated onion
- 1/4 cup melted rendered chicken fat or neutral oil, like grape seed or corn
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- About 1 cup matzo meal
- 4 carrots cut into chunks
Methods:
- Beat together the eggs and 1/2 cup of the stock. If you want light matzo balls, separate the eggs and beat the yolks with the stock. Beat the whites until stiff and fold them in after adding the matzo meal.
- Stir in the onion if you are using it, the fat, the salt and the pepper. Add the matzo meal; the dough should be quite moist, barely stiff enough to roll into balls. If it’s too moist, add a little more meal. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook, take a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. You can also cook the matzo balls directly in your stock, but use a larger quantity of stock. Use wet hands to shape the mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Meanwhile, simmer the carrots in 51/2 cups of the stock until just tender (about 20 minutes).
- Turn the heat under the boiling water to medium low, so that it bubbles gently, and cook the balls until expanded and set (about 30 minutes). Set them in soup dishes; scoop the spices and carrots over them.
Chicken Soup with Passatelli
- A wonderful fresh ‘noodle’ made from bread crumbs and cheese. Reduce the stock to 4 cups and get to a steady bubble. Make the passatelli by mixing together 1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves and 2 eggs; it will form a soft, granular dough.
- Press the dough into the bubbling stock through a ricer, a food mill fit with large holes, or a colander (using a large spoon); cook until the passatelli is tender but firm (about 2 minutes). Serve immediately with more grated Parmesan.
Chicken Soup with Butter Dumplings
- Use 6 cups of stock and bring to a steady bubble. Make the dumplings by whipping 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) softened butter, and then beating in 2 eggs. Stir in 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves, 1/4 cup minced or grated onion and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add heated ingredients 1 tablespoon at one time, just until the batter becomes soft, not too loose or the dumplings will fall apart. Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls into the bubbling stock. Cook until set, that would be about 10 minutes, removing them.
Related Content: