Matzo ball soup is a Seder classic. We’ve posted a version of this recipe before on the blog, but feel it deserves an encore in the lead-up to Passover. Partly because it’s one of our favourites – but mainly because you can prepare it in advance and save yourself hassle on the day.

Pop along to our kosher for Passover shop to pick up some ingredients.


INGREDIENTS

  • 2kg whole chicken
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 yellow onions
  • 2 sprigs of parsley
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 50g Rakusen’s Matzo Meal Kosher for Passover
  • 3 eggs4 tablespoons chicken fat (from chicken stock)


METHOD

Chop the celery, onions and 2 of the carrots and place in a large pot along with the chicken. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Cover the ingredients with water and bring to the boil. Allow this chicken stock to boil on a high heat for at least 45 minutes. Occasionally skim the surface for fat and set this in a bowl to one side to be used in the matzo balls later. Once the chicken is cooked through, strain the stock into another pan through a sieve. You can prepare this in advance and freeze it if you wish – this will save time on the day of Seder, when you’re likely to have your hands full! Just make sure you cool the soup fully before it goes in the freezer – you can do this by placing the pot in ice water in the sink, and stirring the soup to release the heat.

For the matzo balls, mix together the eggs and the chicken fat, then stir in the Matzo Meal and kosher salt. Once finished the mixture should be covered and refrigerated for at least 1 hour.

Form the matzo balls by rolling the mixture between the palms of your hands. Bring salted water to the boil in a saucepan and add the matzo balls. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Again, you can freeze them at this point, if you wish to prepare in advance. Let them cool on a baking tray, and then pop them on a shelf in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight plastic bag until you’re ready to use them.

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer and chop the remaining carrot before adding it to the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for around 5–10 minutes until the carrots have softened. Remove the matzo balls from the salted water (or the freezer) and add them to the soup just a few minutes before serving. If frozen, the matzo balls will defrost nicely in the soup.

Serve immediately and savour the delicious simplicity of this classic dish.