Matzoh Ball Soup

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   1. For the matzoh balls: Place the beaten eggs in a medium-sized bowl and mix in the vegetable oil. Next, stir in the sugar, water and salt, and a pinch of pepper. Here is where the gentleness comes in. Using a fork, slowly mix in the matzoh meal. Lightly stir in the matzoh meal until it is just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

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   2. For the soup: Place 2 chicken thighs, 2 chicken legs and 2 chicken wings in the bottom of a very large stockpot. Pour enough water in the pot to cover the chicken completely. It should be about 4 cups, maybe more. This recipe is not an exact science when it comes to how much water you add in. Cover the pot and turn the heat to medium heat. Let the chicken boil in the water for about 30 minutes.

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   3. After 30 minutes, use a slotted spoon to skim off the fat and cloudiness that has separated from the chicken. It will all be on the top, so don't stir before you skim-that will just make it harder on you. Do your best to get as much off as possible and discard it.

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   4. Next, you want to add enough water to come almost to the top of the pot. It should be another 12 to 14 cups of water. Add in the celery, parsnips, onions and carrots that have been peeled and cut into smaller pieces. Also add the fresh parsley (you can leave it on the stem) and chicken bouillon granules. Put the top back on the soup pot and let it come back up to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce the temperature to low and simmer for about 2 to 3 hours.

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   5. After 2 to 3 hours, strain the soup through a strainer into another large pot. Set the broth aside and let the vegetables and chicken cool in the strainer until they are cool enough to work with. Using your hands or a pair of tongs, pull out the chicken and separate the meat from the bones and skin. Put the meat back into the broth. If you'd like, which I do, pull out the carrots, celery, parsnip, and some of the onions and put them back in the broth as well. I tend to leave out the parsley so it doesn't turn the broth green and I don't think the soup needs it. At this point, throw out everything you've discarded and set the soup aside until you're ready to cook the matzoh balls.

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   6. To finish the matzoh balls: Using a tablespoon measure or a soup spoon, scoop out some of the mixture and put it on your fingertips. Pass the ball between your fingers 3 times to roll it into a ball (I've found that 3 times is the magic number) and then set the ball on a plate and repeat with the remaining matzoh ball mixture.

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   7. Bring the soup back up to a boil and gently place the matzoh balls in. Reduce the heat to medium and let the balls cook on a gentle boil for at least an hour with the cover on the pot.

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   8. Serve up and enjoy!

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.