There’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of homemade chicken soup when it’s cold outside. We’ve had the latest “bugs” running through the household this past week so I decided it was time for a good dose of “Jewish Penicillin”, as it is called in New York City. I learned to make a darned good matzo ball soup while living in the city. I’m not even sure where I found the recipe the first time I made it. I’m sharing it with you here today. I did not make matzo balls to go in it, opting for hot, homemade whole wheat popovers instead. I think we all felt better after having a large bowl! This is a great dish for a weekend night when you want a bit of comfort food. Note: If I had finished the soup off in the traditional way, I would have strained the broth through a sieve and discarded all of the solids from the soup. The matzo balls would then have been formed and steamed in the hot broth before serving.
Traditional Chicken Soup
1 chicken (2-3 pounds will do), cut into pieces, skin on
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 russet potatoes, skin on, cubed
2 small, white turnips, peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
gray salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon dry sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 large box chicken broth
2 cups water
Heat the oil in a dutch oven. Lightly brown the chicken in the oil then remove onto a plate until ready to add to the pot. Put the onion into the hot oil and chicken drippings. Saute until transparent. Add the carrots, potatoes, turnips and garlic and turn the heat down to medium low heat. Add the seasonings. Stir as the mixture cooks for about ten minutes. Add the chicken back to the pot. Pour the broth over the chicken and add one cup of water. You may need the second cup of water to thin the soup a bit when it is almost finished cooking. Cover the pot and simmer for at least four hours. (Note: I have been known to let this simmer overnight and in to the next day on very low heat or in a crock pot. This allows the flavors to really develop, creating a delicious, rich broth.) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with your choice of bread, salad or go the next step and make the matzo balls. They are light and fluffy little dumplings that rise to the surface of the broth as they steam. When I make matzo balls, I simply purchase the crushed meal and follow the instructions on the package. Do not over handle the matzo as this will make the finished product to dense.
Whole Wheat Popovers
We love these on a cold winter evening! They are perfect with soup and salad…light and not so caloric. Perfect for this time of year! I mix the batter up in my blender….easy, breezy!
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups of milk, at room temperature (I have substituted almond milk successfully)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
A very hot oven is key to the success of good popovers. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put eggs and milk into a blender and mix. Add the salt and the flour, one half cup at a time until all of the flour is blended. Add the butter. Spray a popover pan or muffin pan with no-stick spray. Pour the batter into each cup until it almost reaches the top. If you are using a muffin tin, make sure to spray the whole top surface of the pan as well as the cups so the popovers will not stick when they puff up. Bake the popovers in the hot oven for twenty minutes without opening the door. Then lower the oven to 350 degrees and back for 10 – 15 more minutes. The popovers should rise up and puff, golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. This is a bread that must be served at once, it is not a make ahead recipe.
