Chicken Matzoh Ball Soup

Ingredients for chicken matzoh ball soup:
chicken stock
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 ribs celery
matzo balls
reserved chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces
2 T parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

* * * * * *

Ingredients for chicken stock:
1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds
2 medium onions, cut into large chunks
4 celery ribs, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 T black peppercorns
3 stalks parsley

Optional: 1 stalk thyme or rosemary

Preparing the chicken soup:
Place chicken, onions, celery, carrots and peppercorns into a large stock pot. Fill with enough cold water (about 6 quarts) to cover all of the ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once the liquid is simmering, reduce heat to medium low and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and remove the chicken from the pot.

Let the chicken sit until cool enough to handle, then remove all the meat from the bones and return the chicken bones to the pot. Refrigerate the meat until ready to finish the soup.

Simmer the soup gently for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Don't boil or the stock will be cloudy. During the last 20 minutes, add the fresh herbs. Remove from heat and strain the stock through cheesecloth, discarding the bones and vegetables. Cool and then refrigerate overnight. This recipe makes about 4 quarts.

Remove cold chicken stock from the refrigerator. Spoon off the fat. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium high heat. Add carrots, celery, matzo balls and a teaspoon of salt, pinch of pepper and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 20 minutes.

Add reserved chicken and let simmer for a few minutes to heat through. Salt and pepper according to taste. Stir in parsley and serve.

Serves 10