Chicken Soup With Asparagus And Shiitakes, Served With Roasted Fennel Matzo Balls
Serves: 4
Imelda VonRueden
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
47
Spice
51
Sweetness
47
Sourness
44
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
2 tbsps
Olive Oil7 cups
Chicken Broth (homemade)1 tbsp
Garlic (coarsely chopped)1
Salt3 tsp
Thyme (chopped fresh)2 large
EggDirections:
1
Prepare the matzo balls: Preheat the oven to 400°F
2
Cut off the fennel stalks and reserve for another use (excellent for fish broths and stews)
3
If there are some attractive feathery fronds, set aside about 2 tablespoons of them to garnish the soup
4
Quarter the bulbs and trim away the stems, the bottom hard core, and any tough parts
5
Choose a shallow baking pan just large enough to fit the fennel in one layer and put in 1 tablespoon of the oil
6
Add the fennel and toss until well coated
7
Roast the fennel until pale gold, about 20 minutes, then turn the fennel over and roast for 10 minutes longer
8
Stir in the broth, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme
9
Cover the pan with foil and cook for 35 to 45 minutes longer, or until the fennel is very soft
10
Remove the foil, stir, and roast for a few more minutes to evaporate most of the liquid
11
Transfer the fennel and garlic to a food processor and chop coarsely
12
Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of thyme, salt (it will need about 1 teaspoon), pepper to taste, and the fennel seeds, if using
13
With the machine on, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil through the feed tube
14
Scrape the mixture into a large bowl
15
You need 1 cup of puree, so nosh on any extra
16
Whisk in the eggs, one at a time
17
Add the matzo meal and stir well
18
If you can form a lump into a very soft walnut-size ball (the batter will become firmer when you chill it), don't add any more matzo meal
19
If necessary, add just enough matzo meal to enable you to do so
20
Refrigerate for at least 2 or up to 4 hours so the matzo meal can drink in the liquid and seasoning
21
When ready to cook, bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a rapid boil in a large, wide, lidded pot
22
Dipping your hands into cold water if needed, roll the batter into walnut-size balls
23
When all the balls are rolled and the water is boiling furiously, turn the heat down to a gentle boil
24
Carefully slide in the balls one at a time and cover the pot tightly
25
Turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, without removing the cover
26
(They will cook by direct heat as well as by steam, which makes them puff and swell, and lifting the lid will allow some of that steam to escape
27
) Take out a dumpling and cut it in half
28
It should be light, fluffy and completely cooked through
29
If it isn't, continue cooking a few more minutes
30
Remove the balls gently with a skimmer or large slotted spoon—they are too fragile to pour into a colander
31
When the matzo balls are almost ready, start the soup: Bring the broth to a simmer in a large pot
32
Add the matzo balls, the mushrooms, and asparagus and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender
33
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to shallow soup bowls and ladle the hot soup and the vegetables over them
34
Garnish with the reserved chopped fennel fronds
35
Prepare the matzo balls: Preheat the oven to 400°F
36
Cut off the fennel stalks and reserve for another use (excellent for fish broths and stews)
37
If there are some attractive feathery fronds, set aside about 2 tablespoons of them to garnish the soup
38
Quarter the bulbs and trim away the stems, the bottom hard core, and any tough parts
39
Choose a shallow baking pan just large enough to fit the fennel in one layer and put in 1 tablespoon of the oil
40
Add the fennel and toss until well coated
41
Roast the fennel until pale gold, about 20 minutes, then turn the fennel over and roast for 10 minutes longer
42
Stir in the broth, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme
43
Cover the pan with foil and cook for 35 to 45 minutes longer, or until the fennel is very soft
44
Remove the foil, stir, and roast for a few more minutes to evaporate most of the liquid
45
Transfer the fennel and garlic to a food processor and chop coarsely
46
Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of thyme, salt (it will need about 1 teaspoon), pepper to taste, and the fennel seeds, if using
47
With the machine on, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil through the feed tube
48
Scrape the mixture into a large bowl
49
You need 1 cup of puree, so nosh on any extra
50
Whisk in the eggs, one at a time
51
Add the matzo meal and stir well
52
If you can form a lump into a very soft walnut-size ball (the batter will become firmer when you chill it), don't add any more matzo meal
53
If necessary, add just enough matzo meal to enable you to do so
54
Refrigerate for at least 2 or up to 4 hours so the matzo meal can drink in the liquid and seasoning
55
When ready to cook, bring 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a rapid boil in a large, wide, lidded pot
56
Dipping your hands into cold water if needed, roll the batter into walnut-size balls
57
When all the balls are rolled and the water is boiling furiously, turn the heat down to a gentle boil
58
Carefully slide in the balls one at a time and cover the pot tightly
59
Turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, without removing the cover
60
(They will cook by direct heat as well as by steam, which makes them puff and swell, and lifting the lid will allow some of that steam to escape
61
) Take out a dumpling and cut it in half
62
It should be light, fluffy and completely cooked through
63
If it isn't, continue cooking a few more minutes
64
Remove the balls gently with a skimmer or large slotted spoon—they are too fragile to pour into a colander
65
When the matzo balls are almost ready, start the soup: Bring the broth to a simmer in a large pot
66
Add the matzo balls, the mushrooms, and asparagus and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender
67
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to shallow soup bowls and ladle the hot soup and the vegetables over them
68
Garnish with the reserved chopped fennel fronds