Shicksa Soup

Tonight my wonderful babysitter made dinner for both kids and then for me with leftovers for Dave. Just simple grilled pork chops with asparagus sautéed in garlic. There's definitely something about our sweet Elsie's cooking that makes everything taste better. Now that I'm cooking, I hope to learn a lot from her. She's also a great tester of my dishes, and doesn't hesitate to tell me what to tweak!


That being said, I was beaming with pride last week when Elsie loved my Matzo Ball Soup. I was particularly happy when my Jewish husband said he loved it too! Not bad for a Shicksa from Southern California!


Don't be worried if the soup is a bit bland until the very end. The true taste comes out after everything is in the pot...add a little salt and pepper and you're good to go.


Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken and Asparagus
(adapted from 30-minute suppers magazine)


INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup matzo meal (NOT matzo ball mix)
• 2 Tbsp club soda
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
• 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 rotisserie chicken (about 2.5 lbs), skin discarded,meat shredded into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

• INSTRUCTIONS

  • 1. Whisk together eggs, 2 tbsp of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in matzo meal and club soda. Cover and let sit on counter until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in Dutch Oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion and carrots until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Using wet hands, roll teaspoonfuls of matzo mixture into 3/4 inch balls, dropping them immediately into simmering broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer, covered, until balls have doubled in size, about 15 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, place asparagus in a microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave on high until tender and bright green, 3 minutes or so.
    4. Stir asparagus, chicken, and dill into soup. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Serve.