My Aunt Lar's Matzo Ball Soup - Revised

Summers at the Otisco Lake were always compete by having a bowl of my Aunt Lar's homemade Matzo Ball Soup.  It is the most comforting to me in late summer or early fall on crisp evenings.  I hope that you will find this recipe to be as special as I do!  To make this dish vegetarian, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. Enjoy!!

Basic Chicken Broth

1 whole chicken - roasted

1 onion, halved

4 garlic cloves

2 carrots, cut in large dice

2 celery ribs, cut in large dice

½ jalapeno

1 stalk of fresh rosemary

1 stalk of fresh thyme

1 inch of fresh ginger

½ fennel bulb

1 stalk of fresh dill

8 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a large stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.  Let simmer for 1-2 hours until chicken is easily shredded off the bone.  Strain broth and set aside chicken to cool.  Shred or dice chicken.  For soups that do not require the chicken meat, use the chicken for another use.

Matzo Ball Soup

2 cups diced or shredded chicken

2 tbsp. butter or olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

3 celery ribs, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 cups chicken stock

1 ½ tsp. dried dill

1 pkg. Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix

2 eggs

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

2 cups cooked egg noodles

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 7 minutes until onion is translucent.  Add garlic and sauté for another minute.  Add chicken, chicken stock, and 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp dried dill, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, Cook egg noodles and set aside.  

In a small bowl, combine matzo ball mix, eggs, vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp.onion powder, and 1/2 tsp dried dill.  Refridgerate matzo ball mixture for 15 minutes.  Remove matzo mixture from refridgerator.  Form 1 inch balls by rolling around in your palm and add them to soup.  Add noodles and cook on a gentle simmer for another 5-10 minutes until matzo balls are cooked and soft.  Serve.