Matzo ball soup

Recipe submitted by: Jamie Danieli, Grade 11

Soup Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 yellow onion

• 3 carrots

• 3 stalks celery

• 1 chicken breast (about 3/4 lb.)

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 2 cups water

• Freshly cracked pepper

• Few sprigs fresh dill

Matzo Ball Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs

• 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

• 3/4 cup matzo meal

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• Freshly cracked pepper

• 3 Tbsp water

Procedure:

1. Mince the garlic and dice the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots with the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about five minutes).

2. Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, 2 cups water, some freshly cracked pepper, and one or two sprigs of dill to the pot. Place a lid on the pot and let it come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

3. While the soup is simmering, mix the matzo ball dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and vegetable oil. Add the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, and a little freshly cracked pepper to the eggs and oil. Stir until well combined. Finally, add 3 Tbsp water and stir until smooth again. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to allow the matzo meal time to absorb the moisture.

4. After the chicken soup has simmered, carefully remove the chicken breast and shred it with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed.

5. Once the matzo ball mix has refrigerated and stiffened up, begin to form it into ping pong sized balls. Drop the balls into the simmering soup as they are formed, returning the lid to the pot after each one. Once all the matzo balls are in the soup, let them simmer for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Make sure the soup is gently simmering the entire time.

6. Add a couple sprigs of fresh dill just before serving.

Jamie's personal connection:

This dish is one of many traditional middle eastern dishes, and is eaten often in Israel. I have many recollections of having this at Jewish holidays such as Passover, being surrounded by my family. This delicious dish, combined with all the other Jewish holiday foods, brings together the family unit and reignites the culture inside of me that I've disengaged from over the years.