Matzo Ball Soup

This isn’t your standard matzo ball, or at least, it’s not my standard matzo ball.  Growing up, whenever my Mom or Grandma whipped up a batch of this “Jewish Penicillin,” they used chicken broth with big hunks of carrot and chicken, and the matzo balls didn’t have any green stuff stuck in them.  This time, I decided to try a new matzo ball, inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit.  The broth isn’t too unusual–just your standard veggie broth.  But I really liked these matzo balls and I’ll definitely make them again!  Here are my methods:

Ingredients for the Balls:
glug or two of olive oil, enough to coat bottom of the pan
2 leeks, finely chopped

1 cup matzo meal (unsalted)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
4 eggs
few pepper shakes
2 tablespoons ginger ale (or seltzer)

chopped chives, optional

Ingredients for simple veggie broth:
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
12+ cups of water
(I threw in a couple veggie bullion cubes for good measure.)
1 heaping tsp. dill (fresh preferable)
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. parsley
salt/pepper to taste

Methods:

1.  The matzo ball dough should chill at least a few hours before cooking.  So, to start preparing the dough, heat a little oil in a skillet and when hot, add diced leeks.  (Note: to wash leeks, cut first, then place in a bowl of cold water and let the dirt sink to the bottom.  Then scoop leeks out with a slotted spoon.)  Cook leeks for 2-3 minutes until they turn translucent, a little goldeny-brown.

2. Take leeks off the stove.  In a large bowl, mix matzo meal, salt, pepper, seltzer, and egg.  Add leek.  Mix with a large spoon until incorporated.  Chill for at least 3 hours (over night is great).

3.  Meanwhile, get started on the vegetable broth.  In a large pot, saute onion, carrot, garlic and celery until the onion turns translucent and vegetables have crisped slightly around the edges.  Add water (and bullion cubes, if using) and bring to a boil.  Add seasonings and simmer for at least an hour.  Take off the stove and let sit.  (You can definitely make this broth the night before, too.)

4.  Once the matzo balls have chilled, roll into balls.  Try to make them uniform in size.  They should be about half the size of a golf ball.  Place back in the refrigerator; we want the matzo balls to be cold as we drop them in the boiling water.  I usually roll the balls out first and put them back in the fridge because they get warmer when they’re rolled between your palms.

5.  Fill a large pot with water.  Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, take matzo balls out of the fridge and drop one-by-one into the water and cook for 30-40 minutes, until done.  (The only way to test it to slice one in half; it’s cooked when the outside looks the same as the inside and it’s not any tougher in the middle of the ball.)

6.  Once the matzo balls have finished cooking, scoop out of the boiling water and add to your vegetable broth.  Before serving, reheat.  And if you like, garnish with a few chopped chives.