Host Amy Traverso visited Mamaleh’s Delicatessen in her hometown of Brookline, Massachusetts. The deli’s ownership team shared a comparatively modern, but old family recipe for matzo ball soup on Weekends with Yankee, Season Six, Episode Six (“The Enthusiasts.”)
Makes 8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE STOCK:
- 5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 9 large carrots (5 for stock, 4 for soup)
- 4 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
- 7 celery stalks (4 for stock, 3 for soup)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 8 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- Salt, to taste
- Minced chives or parsley, for garnish
FOR THE MATZO BALLS:
- ½ cup melted chicken fat or a combination of vegetable oil and chicken fat
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups matzo meal
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup chicken stock
TO PREPARE
STOCK
STEP ONE. Remove the skin and extra fat from the chicken thighs and set aside. Layer 5 carrots (peeled & chopped into large chunks), onions, 4 celery stalks (chopped into large chunks), and garlic cloves in the bottom of a 7-to-9-quart stock pot and lay the chicken thighs on top.
STEP TWO. Add parsley, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Cover with water by two inches. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer. (Do not boil, or the stock will be cloudy.) For maximum flavor, cook for at least three hours and up to 12 hours.
STEP THREE. When finished, cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until ready to use. Meanwhile, lay the chicken skin and fat in a large skillet over medium heat. When the skin starts to sizzle, reduce heat to medium-low and slowly render the fat from the skin.
STEP FOUR. Keep cooking, turning occasionally, until the skin is brown and very crisp, 20 to 30 minutes. Strain the fat into a measuring cup to cool.
MATZO BALLS
STEP FIVE. Take the chicken fat and enough olive or vegetable oil to reach ½ cup. In a large bowl, whisk the fat together with the eggs.
STEP SIX. Add the matzo meal, salt, and ¼ cup chicken stock. Mix well so the mixture feels a bit like Play-Doh. Wet your hands and form the dough into balls roughly the size of ping-pong balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
STEP SEVEN. When you’re ready to put the soup together, cook the matzo balls in a large pot of salted water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the stock and set aside. Strain out the vegetables and herbs, and return the clear stock to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
STEP EIGHT. Add the 4 carrots (peeled and diced into small cubes) and 3 celery stalks (diced into small cubes) and cook until just tender, for 10 to 15 minutes. Just before serving, pull the chicken meat off the bones and add it to the pot along with the cooked matzo balls. Add salt to taste, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives or parsley.
