Blue Ribbon'S Excellent Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

• 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 5 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 sprigs of fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup matzo meal
• 2 tablespoons schmaltz (rendered chicken far reserved from making broth) or duck fat
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup seltzer water
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (about 1 cup)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1. Rub the chicken with salt inside and out. Let rest on a plate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Rinse very well under cold running water and then pat dry with paper towels.
2. Put the chicken in a large stockpot and add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, them skim off any foam that rises to the top. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, parsley, dill, peppercorns, and bay leaves, and return the liquid to a boil. Skim again.
3. Reduce the heat and let simmer uncovered until the chicken is cooked, about 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and, when cool enough to handle, take the meat off the bones (reserve the meat for another purpose). Return the bones to the pot and simmer for 1 hour more. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, discarding the solids. Cool the broth slightly, then refrigerate until cold, overnight or up to 3 days.
4. Using a slotted spoon, skim off the solidified chicken fat from the broth. Save for making matzo balls or another purpose.
5. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, matzo meal, schmaltz, salt, and baking powder. Add the seltzer and use a rubber spatula to mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Fill a large, wide pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Fill a small bowl with cold water and have nearby to keep your hands clean and wet. Working gently, without pressing, use clean, wet hands to form 1/2-inch-round matzo balls. As they are formed, drop them into the boiling water. When all of the matzo balls are formed, cover the pot with a round of parchment paper to keep them submerged (or partially cover the pot with a lid if you don't have parchment paper) and simmer very gently (don't let the water boil again) until cooked through and tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon, and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. If not using that day, let cool to room temperature, then store the matzo balls in a single layer in an airtight container filled with cooled cooking liquid to cover for up to 2 days.
7. To serve, gently reheat the matzo balls in a pot filled with matzo ball cooking liquid or fresh water to cover (when the water comes to a simmer, taste a matzo ball to see if it's hot enough, and either use immediately or continue to simmer until warmed to taste).
8. In a separate pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the carrot rounds and simmer until soft, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the dill.
9. Ladle the broth into individual serving bowls. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the warmed matzo balls into the soup and serve piping hot.

chicken, kosher salt, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, flatleaf parsley, dill, black peppercorns, bay leaves, eggs, matzo meal, kosher salt, baking powder, seltzer water, carrots, salt, dill

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/blue-ribbons-excellent-matzoh-ball-soup-recipe.html (may not work)