Ingredient List
- 4 Bubbe's Chicken Soup Sausages (1, 12 oz package)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 12 cups chicken broth
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 bunch dill, chopped and divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons store-bought schmaltz or homemade rendered chicken fat
- 2 tablespoons seltzer water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup matzo meal
- 1 quart chicken broth (optional, but makes a huge difference)
Directions
Slice sausages into ½ inch rounds, set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large stockpot over low heat. Add prepared celery, carrots, onions, and garlic. Saute until vegetables are soft and onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Deglaze pan with ¼ cup of broth, scraping up brown bits on the bottom. Transfer vegetables into a bowl and set aside.
Make the matzo balls: In a medium bowl, add all of your matzo ball ingredients - eggs, schmaltz, seltzer water, salt, pepper, and matzo meal - together and mix until they form a batter. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
In the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add sausage slices and cook over medium heat until browned on both sides--about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining chicken broth to the pot, again scraping up the brown bits that have formed on the bottom. Return vegetables to the pot, add the juice of one lemon and half the chopped dill. Simmer broth, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, bring 1 quart of chicken broth mixed with 1 quart water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Wet your hands and scoop a heaping tablespoon of matzo batter into your wetted hands. Gently form the batter into balls and place them in the simmering broth, one at a time. Simmer on medium heat, covered, for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and allow the balls to rest in the broth until the soup is ready.
Season broth with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowl, add matzo ball, and garnish with chopped parsley and remaining dill.
