Recipe - Chicken Soup With Wild Mushrooms And Herbed Matzo Balls

SOUP
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 3pound chicken; cut into
pieces
2 lg Onions; cut into 1inch
pieces
12 cup Water
3 Celery stalks; cut into
1inch pieces
3 Fresh parsley sprigs
2 Bay leaves

MATZO BALLS
1 ounce Dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cup Hot water
1/3 cup Chicken fat; (reserved from
stock or purchased)
4 lg Eggs
2 tablespoon Chopped fresh chives
1 One half tablespoon Minced fresh tarragon or 1
One half teaspoons dried;
crumbled
1 One half teaspoon Salt
One fourth teaspoon Pepper
1 cup Unsalted matzo meal
3 One half qt Water; (14 cups)
1 teaspoon Minced fresh tarragon or 1/4
teaspoon dried crumbled
Minced fresh chives

For Soup: Heat oil in heavy large pot over mediumhigh heat. Add chicken
and onions and cook until brown, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Add
12 cups water, celery, parsley and bay leaves. Bring to boil, skimming
surface. Reduce heat and simmer gently until reduced to 8 cups, about 5
hours. Strain into bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fat solidifies on top.
(Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

Remove fat form soup and reserve fat for matzo balls.

For Matzo Balls: Place shiitake mushrooms in small bowl. Pour 2 cups hot
water over. Let soak until softened, about 30 minutes.

Melt 1/3 cup chicken fat and cool. Combine melted chicken fat, One fourth cup
shiitake soaking liquid (reserve remainder), eggs, 2 tablespoons chives, 1
One half tablespoons tarragon, 1 One half teaspoons salt and One fourth teaspoon pepper in
medium bowl and beat to blend. Mix in matzo meal. Cover and refrigerate 3
hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover mushrooms in soaking liquid and
refrigerate.)

Measure 3 One half quarts water into large pot. Salt generously and bring to
boil. With dampened hands, form cold matzo meal mixture into 1inch balls
and add to boiling water. Cover and boil until matzo balls are cooked
through and tender, about 40 minutes. (To test for doneness, remove 1 matzo
ball and cut open.) Transfer matzo balls to plate, using slotted spoon.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)

Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Thinly slice mushrooms, discarding
stems. Combine remaining mushroom soaking liquid, mushrooms, chicken soup
and 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon in heavy large saucepan and bring to simmer.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add matzo balls and simmer until
heated through. ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.

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