Recipes Zone

ingredients

Soup:
• salt and pepper
• 8 whole black peppercorns
• 1 thyme sprig or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 dill sprigs
• 1 small onion, halved
• 1 small carrot, halved
• 1 celery stalk, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 6 parsley stems
• 3 (14-ounce) cans lower sodium chicken broth
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs, or 2 (10-ounce) chicken legs, split

Matzo Balls:

• 1/4 sheet whole-wheat matzo, finely ground in food processor (1/4 cup)
• 1 scallion, finely chopped (1 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

prepration

For the soup: Combine chicken, broth, water, onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off foam that rises to surface. Add parsley, dill, thyme and peppercorns; reduce heat to very low and simmer gently until flavors develop, about 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Strain broth into a clean container; skim off fat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard solids. Remove and discard skin from chicken; pull meat off bones and return to broth.
For the matzo balls: Combine egg, oil, dill and scallion in a small bowl. Beat with a fork, then stir in matzo ball mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. With wet hands, shape matzo mixture into 16 balls using 1 level teaspoon for each, and drop balls into water. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Reheat soup. With a slotted spoon, transfer matzo balls to soup and serve.