Matzo Ball Soup

Ravenseyes's Note:

The traditional Matza Ball soup contains a lot of fat and sodium and from what I remember the matza's would sit like a lump in your belly - I decided to make an updated more heart healthy version - and here's what I came up with!!!

• Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

Stock

• 1 chicken carcass
• 1 cup celery
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 14 cups water
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Matzo Balls

• 1 cup matzo meal (Streit's)
• 4 large eggs
• ¼ cup oil (vegetable or canola)
• ¼ cup seltzer water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 dashes fresh ground pepper

Soup

• 10 cups homemade stock
• 29 ounces chicken broth (College Inn)
• 2 bouillon cubes (chicken flavor of course)
• 1 carrot , diced finely
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 onion , minced
• 1 celery rib , minced

Directions:

1. For the stock the best results come from the chicken bones of an already cooked chicken - so enjoy a chicken dinner and save the bones and the close meat. Cook this until the vegetables are nearly disintegrated. Remember do not add your salt till the boil point has been reached or your stock will be cloudy. Approximately 3 hours.
2. Cool and strain off all the meat, vegetables and bones. Discard.
3. Cool and strain off any fats.
4. For the Matzo Balls: Beat the eggs. Add seltzer,oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.
5. Add Matzo meal and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour.
6. Fill a 5 quart pot 3/4 full of water and bring to a rolling boil add 3/4 cup of kosher salt to the water and bring back to rolling boil.
7. Moisten the palms of your hands with cold water form your matzo balls - I use a tsp to measure the amount - approximately 1/2" in diameter. Drop matzo balls into boiling water.
8. Cook for at least 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
9. Soup:.
10. In a 6 quart pot add 1 tsp of olive oil when heated add your onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Over low heat bring to fork tender.
11. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Add cooked matzo balls and allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes.