Chicken Soup

To quote food critic Mimi Sheraton, chicken soup is the “panacea for all ills whether physical or emotional.” When the three of us think of the food we most connect with nurturing, it is homemade chicken soup that comes to mind. Whether it is the aroma of chicken soup simmering in preparation for Shabbat, or a container of soup that travels up to our kids’ universities, or a warm bowl to soothe your soul on a blustery day, chicken soup is a universal comfort food.

SERVES ABOUT 12

6 pounds chicken parts; or 2 whole chickens, including backs, wings, and necks, cut into eighths

About 6 quarts water, as needed

3 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut in 3 chunks each

1 large onion, quartered

1 bunch fresh dill including stems, tied with kitchen twine

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley including stems, tied with kitchen twine

8 medium carrots, peeled

6 celery stalks

1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (optional)

20 peppercorns

4 small carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup), for garnish (optional)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the chicken under cold water. Remove any excess fat.

Place the chicken in a large stockpot. Add the water to cover the chicken by at least 4 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, using a skimmer to remove surface foam as it forms, about 30 minutes.

Add the leeks, parsnips, onion, dill, parsley, whole carrots, celery, celery root, if using, and peppercorns. Simmer until the chicken has begun to fall from the bones and the vegetables are very soft, 1 to 1¼ hours.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set it aside for another use. Strain the soup using a fine metal or chinois strainer and either keep the vegetables for serving or discard. Discard the herbs. (For a very clear soup, strain the soup through cheesecloth.) Set the soup aside to cool.

After the soup has cooled, remove any remaining fat from the surface. The broth can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Before serving, heat the soup over low heat. Add the matchstick carrots, if using, and simmer until the carrots are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with Cilantro Matzah Balls (here) or Kasha and Mushroom Kreplach (here), and additional vegetables and chicken from the soup, if desired.

Here’s a tip from Jewish cookbook writer Helen Nash: If you don’t have the time to cool your soup completely, you can still remove the excess fat. Wet a paper towel and draw it through the soup. The fat will remain on the cloth. (Don’t wring out the cloth over the soup!)

Cilantro Matzah Balls

Cilantro in matzah balls? And a touch of jalapeño? You won’t be surprised that this recipe comes by way of Mexico City. In 1900, there were only around 100 Jews living in Mexico. Today the number is somewhere around 60,000. This vibrant community is made up of both Ashkenazim and Sephardim, so it makes perfect sense that a traditional Ashkenazi delicacy is laced with local flavors. Green flecks of cilantro impart a bright citrus note. And the jalapeño adds a touch of spice—similar to the way some Hungarian Jews spiced their matzah balls with hot paprika. The color and flavors are perfect allusions to spring at your seder table, or all year-round. We find these matzah balls land directly in the middle of the floater vs. sinker debate—an ideal balance.

Serve the matzah balls in Chicken Soup (here) or Vegetable Consommé (here) with carrot sticks or carrot rounds (traditional for the Jewish New Year to symbolize a full and round year) and additional chopped cilantro.

NOTE: We call for chicken fat or oil as our grandmothers swear that it’s the chicken fat that makes the best matzah balls. The easiest way to get pure chicken fat is to skim it off your chicken soup pot. Just keep the fat in a container and place it in the freezer for later use. But rest assured, for those of you who cringe at the thought of using schmaltz (chicken fat), these matzah balls are also delicious made with grapeseed oil.

MAKES 24 SMALL MATZAH BALLS

4 extra-large eggs

¼ cup chicken fat, or grapeseed oil, or combination

½ cup cilantro leaves, plus tender stems

¼ jalapeño pepper, seeds removed

1 cup matzah meal

½ cup seltzer

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Chicken stock or water for cooking

In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, fat or oil, cilantro leaves and stems, and jalapeño. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the matzah meal, seltzer, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of stock or generously salted water to a boil. Using wet hands, gently shape the matzah meal mixture into walnut-size balls. Drop the balls into the boiling water a few at a time. Once all the balls are in the pot, return to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Turn off heat and leave them in the hot cooking liquid for 15 minutes for extra fluffiness, or transfer to the chicken soup immediately.