Jewish chicken soup

[bryan.lewis]

How do you make Jewish chicken soup?

[MCC06]

This is probably the best-known Jewish dish. It is very traditional for the Seder meal at Passover, but most Jewish families enjoy it all year round. It is often termed Jewish penicillin as it is produced to cure a variety of complaints. The chicken soup is often served without Matzo balls as part of the dinner for Rosh Hashanah, followed by roast chicken and honey cake. To make it, you will need: 1 large chicken, 2 chopped onions, 1 stick chopped celery, 2 chopped carrots, 1 handful of chopped parsley, 2 bay leaves. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer slowly for about an hour. Don't boil, otherwise the fat will be absorbed. Strain off the liquid and cool so you can remove all the fat from the top. Keep this for the dumplings. To make Matzo balls, dissolve one teaspoon of chicken fat in 225mls of boiling water. Beat four eggs into this mixture and add 200gms of coarse Matzo Meal, salt and pepper and a dash of ground ginger. Mix to a sloppy consistency and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Just before making into balls, add a tablespoon of boiling water to thin the mixture slightly. Roll the balls and simmer gently for between 7 and 10 minutes in the chicken soup with the lid on. This is sometimes mixed with Chrayne, which is minced horseradish and beetroot.