Matzah Ball Soup

From Tori Avey. Probably double it.

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 pound carrots (about 3 medium carrots) sliced into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 pound celery (about 5 stalks) sliced into 1/2 inch chunks, including leaves
• 2 onion (rinsed and halved, skin on)
• 2 leek, sliced and cleaned (white and light green parts only)
• 1 bunch fresh dill + 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, divided
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 4 bay leaves
• 20 whole peppercorns
• 12 whole cloves (spice cloves, not garlic)
• 2 pinch saffron threads not American or Mexican saffron, which have no flavor – buy the good stuff! It’s expensive but necessary in this soup. Do not sub turmeric! The flavor is completely different.)
• 4 T good quality extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt

Matzah Balls

• 4 eggs
• 6 T veggie oil
• 2 T seltzer water
• 1 c matzo meal
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t onion powder
• 1 t chopped fresh dill
• 2 pinch of saffron threads

Directions

Soup

1. Combine all soup ingredients in a large pot
2. Add 2 T sea salt.
3. Cover ingredients with 8 quarts water. Bring to a boil. (Takes at least 2 hours.)
4. Reduce heat to a simmer (around medium heat). Let the stock cook uncovered for 2-3 hours until the liquid reduces by a third and the stock is flavorful.
5. Remove everything except celery and carrots.
6. Add 2 T chopped dill. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more sea salt if desired. Keep the stock warm till ready to serve.
7. Ladle the hot soup over the warm matzo balls.

Matzah balls

1. Whisk eggs with vegetable oil and seltzer water.
2. Stir in everything up to dill.
3. Chill in fridge 30 minutes.
4. Combine 6 quarts water with a 2 pinches saffron and 2 T sea salt.
5. Bring to a simmer, stir to dissolve the salt. Keep hot until the matzo ball mixture is fully chilled.
6. Place a small dish of cold water beside the pot of saffron water.
7. Take batter out of fridge. Wet your hands and roll the matzo ball batter into walnut-sized balls, then gently drop them into the simmering water. (Wet your hands between each ball; this makes forming them easier. Don’t make them larger than walnuts, they’ll expand a lot as they cook!)
8. When all of the matzo balls are in the water, bring back to a low bubbling simmer (not a heavy boil) and cover the pot.
9. Simmer for 30-35 minutes.
10. When fully cooked, turn off the heat and keep the matzo balls in the hot saffron water until ready to serve. (If you won’t be serving within an hour, remove the matzo balls from the pot with a slotted spoon and reserve so they don’t get mushy and fall apart.)