Chicken soup and dumplings
Chicken soup is known as 'Jewish penicillin.' It's the ultimate comfort food served with matzo dumplings.
Ingredients
For the chicken soup
- 1 x 1.5kg/3lb 5oz chicken
- 1 onion, peeled, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
- 6-8 fresh parsley stalks
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 white peppercorns
For the dumplings
- 4 free-range eggs
- 150ml/5½fl oz vegetable oil
- 300ml/10½fl oz hot chicken stock, plus 1 litre/15¼fl oz to cook the dumplings
- 200g/7oz matzo meal
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the chicken soup, place all the soup ingredients into a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Remove the chicken and set aside to cool slightly. Remove the meat from the chicken and slice into chunks.
Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth into a clean saucepan. Let the liquid drip through rather than trying to push it through to create a clear broth.
Meanwhile, for the dumplings, beat the eggs, oil, half of the stock and matzo meal in a bowl to form a thick paste. Whisk in the remaining stock and dill and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside for one hour.
Using oiled hands, roll the dumpling mixture into small balls, approximately 2.5cm/1in in diameter. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock until simmering and cook the dumplings for 30 minutes.
To serve, reheat the chicken broth, if necessary, and place some cooked chicken into the bottom of each of 6 serving bowls, pour the chicken broth on top and add a few dumplings.