HOMEMADE JEWISH CHICKEN SOUP - page 2 of 3

• After the stock has cooked for 2-3 hours, turn off the heat. Carefully remove everything from the liquid, placing it all in a colander that's sitting in a big bowl. Stock should go back into the soup pot. Chicken, veggies and herbs should be left to cool for about half an hour.
• In the meantime, dice up celery, parsnips & the remaining carrots & onions. If you're going to make matzoh balls, prepare and refrigerate them - batter recipe follows.
• Bring the soup back to a boil and add the chopped vegetables. Cook for about half an hour more. At the same time, add pieces of chicken to the pot, completely boning the chicken as you go along. (The veggies used in making stock can be eaten as is, chopped & added to the soup, put in your compost pile, or just thrown out.)
• Check the seasoning. You may want to add more salt and pepper. Then add the matzoh balls and cover the pot.
• Turn the matzoh balls occasionally, cook another 30 minutes or so. The soup is delicious on its first day - and even better on the next. Store any leftover soup in the refrigerator.

• Matzoh Balls
  
  These are delicious, not required, and certainly the least healthy part of the soup. You can use noodles or rice instead. If you do go for the matzoh balls, cook them
  separately and add to each bowl as you serve. Since the soup is so thick, it's also fine without a starch.
  
  Ingredients:
  4 T - melted chicken fat (or use vegetable oil to cut down on cholesterol)
  4 large eggs (I use jumbos)
  1 cup matzoh meal (Add 1/4 cup more if you like them hard;
  use 1/4 cup less for airy balls. We prefer harder ones.)
  1 t - salt
  4 T - soup stock