Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 carrots
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 chicken breast
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Few sprigs fresh dill
• 3 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 3/4 cup matzo meal
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp water

Directions

1. Finely chop the garlic, then dice the onion, celery, and carrots. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots in the vegetable oil until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken breast to the pot, followed by the chicken broth, 2 cups water, freshly cracked pepper, and 1 or 2 sprigs of dill. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil. When it boils, lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
3. As the soup cooks, make the matzo ball mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the vegetable oil. Stir in the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, and a bit of freshly cracked pepper until everything is evenly mixed. Pour in 3 Tbsp water and stir again until the mixture smooths out. Chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the matzo meal can soak up the liquid.
4. When the soup has finished simmering, lift out the chicken breast carefully and pull it apart with a fork. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot. Taste the broth, then add salt if it needs it.
5. After the matzo mixture has chilled and firmed, shape it into ping pong sized balls. As you make each one, gently drop it into the simmering soup and put the lid back on the pot. Once every matzo ball is in, keep the soup covered and simmer for 20 minutes without peeking. The soup should stay at a gentle simmer the whole time.
6. Right before serving, add a couple sprigs of fresh dill.