Chicken Soup With Asparagus And Shiitakes Served With Roasted Fennel Matzo Balls Recipes

CHICKEN SOUP WITH MATZO BALLS

Steps:

• Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic and seasonings in a 16- to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove 2 of the chickens and allow to cool slightly. Remove the breast meat from both chickens and set aside. Return the remaining chicken and carcasses to the pot and continue simmering, uncovered, for 3 more hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and chill. Remove the surface fat, then reheat the stock as follows, or pack in containers and freeze.
• To serve the soup, return the stock to the pot and reheat, adding the diced carrots, celery, dill and parsley. Shred the reserved chicken breast meat into large pieces and add to the stock. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes to cook the vegetables and reheat the chicken. Season to taste and serve as is, or ladle each serving over 1 or 2 warm matzo balls.
• Whisk together the egg yolks, 1/2 cup chicken stock, chicken fat, parsley and salt. Stir in the matzo meal. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. Whisk them into the matzo mixture until it is smooth. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.
• Bring a pot of chicken stock to a simmer (about 3 quarts). Form matzo balls the size of golf balls by shaping them with 2 spoons, rolling them with your hands or scooping them with a small ice cream scoop. Drop them into the simmering stock and cook for 30 minutes, or until fully cooked and puffed, turning once. Remove and serve hot in the chicken soup.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the chicken breast on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred or dice the chicken meat.
• Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot and add the celery, carrots, and noodles. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Add the cooked chicken meat and parsley and heat through.
• Season to taste and serve.
• Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16- to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Chill the stock overnight. The next day, remove the surface fat. Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

SEPHARDIC CHICKEN SOUP WITH SOFRITO AND HERBED MATZO BALLS

Steps:

• To make the matzo balls, bring a large pot of salted water or chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Whisk the eggs, oils, chicken fat, water, parsley, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, add the matzo meal and sift in the baking powder. Mix together, then fold into the eggs. Cover with plastic wrap, pressed tightly against the batter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Moisten your hands lightly with water and form the matzo mixture into 24 walnut-sized balls. Carefully drop the matzo balls into the water or broth. Reduce the heat to medium and partially cover. Simmer gently until the matzo balls are cooked through, about 40 minutes. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to a large bowl of cold water.
• Meanwhile, make the soup. Bring the chicken pieces and stock to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the soup. Remove and discard the skin, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, and reserve the meat until service. Return the remaining bones back to the broth and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more to further develop the soup's flavor.
• While the soup is simmering, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, red and green peppers, cilantro, garlic and saffron. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables in the sofrito are tender, but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the hot sauce, if using. Set the sofrito aside.
• When ready to serve, strain the soup and discard the bones. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the sofrito and chicken pieces. Add the matzo balls and simmer until the matzo balls are heated through, about 5 minutes. (The soup and matzo balls can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.)
• Ladle the soup, along with sofrito, chicken and matzo balls into bowls and serve hot, with an optional drizzle of the additional melted chicken fat (schmaltz).

ROASTED ASPARAGUS & SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large bowl, toss the asparagus and the mushrooms with the olive oil to coat (adding a little more if necessary).
• Sprinkle with the coarse salt.
• Spread the vegetables on two cookie sheets so they are not touching.
• Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the pans occasionally so that the vegetables do not stick, until the asparagus is nicely browned and the mushrooms are cooked through.
• Remove the pans from the oven and arrange the vegetables on individual plates or a serving platter.
• Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and season with the salt the pepper to taste.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH ASPARAGUS AND RICE

Steps:

• In a stockpot, saute the diced onion, celery and carrot in 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil, until the onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and add the chicken stock.
• Bring the stock to a simmer, cover and cook on low until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wash the asparagus and trim off the woody ends. (Throw them away or use them to make vegetable stock for another recipe.).
• Slice the asparagus in 1-inch lengths on the bias, collecting the tips separately (because they cook very quickly and will be added last).
• Heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet.
• Saute the pancetta and asparagus pieces (not the tips yet) about 5 minutes, stirring as needed. The idea is to soften the asparagus but not cook it entirely.
• Add the asparagus tips and saute an additional minute.
• When the rice in the stock pot is tender, add the lemon juice, diced chicken, and the pancetta/aspargus mixture.
• Bring to a boil; remove from heat.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve.

CHICKEN, ASPARAGUS AND LEMON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry very gently until transparent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces to the pan and cook over a fairly high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring all the time.
• Add the chicken stock, lemon zest ONLY (juice will be added later) and thyme to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove and plunge into ice water. (Save some of the small tips for garnish if you wish).
• Add the asparagus and the basil leaves to the pan, cover and simmer 30 minutes until the asparagus is well cooked.
• Allow the mixture to cool about 15 minutes, then process in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Poor back into the pan.
• Beat the egg yolk with a little of the cream, strain into a small bowl, add a little of the soup and mix thoroughly. Add to the soup with the lemon juice and the rest of the cream. Allow to warm through gently, being careful not to let it boil.
• Serve the soup garnished with a few of the reserved asparagus tips and a sprig of fresh basil.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND HERBED MATZO BALLS

Steps:

• For Soup:
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions and cook until brown, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Add 12 cups water, celery, parsley and bay leaves. Bring to boil, skimming surface. Reduce heat and simmer gently until reduced to 8 cups, about 5 hours. Strain into bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fat solidifies on top. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)
• Remove fat form soup and reserve fat for matzo balls.
• For Matzo Balls:
• Place shiitake mushrooms in small bowl. Pour 2 cups hot water over. Let soak until softened, about 30 minutes.
• Melt 1/3 cup chicken fat and cool. Combine melted chicken fat, 1/4 cup shiitake soaking liquid (reserve remainder), eggs, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 1/2 tablespoons tarragon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl and beat to blend. Mix in matzo meal. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover mushrooms in soaking liquid and refrigerate.)
• Measure 3 1/2 quarts water into large pot. Salt generously and bring to boil. With dampened hands, form cold matzo meal mixture into 1-inch balls and add to boiling water. Cover and boil until matzo balls are cooked through and tender, about 40 minutes. (To test for doneness, remove 1 matzo ball and cut open.) Transfer matzo balls to plate, using slotted spoon. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
• Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Thinly slice mushrooms, discarding stems. Combine remaining mushroom soaking liquid, mushrooms, chicken soup and 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon in heavy large saucepan and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add matzo balls and simmer until heated through. ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.

CHICKEN ASPARAGUS SOUP

Steps:

• Cut tips from asparagus spears; set aside. Place stalks in a large skillet; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain, reserving 4 cups cooking liquid. Discard stalks., In a Dutch oven, saute the potatoes, onion, celery, carrot, parsley and garlic in oil until vegetables are tender. Stir in the broth, salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, bay leaf and reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool slightly., In a blender, cover and puree soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan. Add the chicken, cream, remaining pepper and reserved asparagus tips. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.