Matzo balls are an Ashkenazi Jewish dumpling made from matzo meal, fat, eggs and water, served in a chicken broth. It’s a staple soul food that’s consumed during Passover and Hanukkah equally, for Friday sabbath — and, really, anytime someone is feeling under the weather, especially during the cold and flu season of winter.
Matzo represents the unleavened bread that the Jews ate while fleeing Egypt in ancient times. In modern times, before the machine-made matzo became so popular, Jewish people would visit their local bakery for matzo bread, then they would make dumplings with the leftover breadcrumbs.
This recipe takes a new twist, with the addition of the Headband strain, which adds a unique, earthy and slight piney taste, with undertones of spice. This strain pairs beautifully with the complex and fatty flavors of the chicken and the root flavors of the vegetables. The bright, fragrant flavors of fresh dill, thyme and sage marry perfectly with palate-pleasing Headband strain.
Headband is the cross of Sour Diesel, OG Kush and Master Kush. It’s a hybrid strain that’s indica dominant and balances pain relief with a clear-minded euphoria, relaxation and tranquility. It’s also been known to alleviate symptoms of migraine and eye discomfort related to glaucoma.
The perfect hybrid to use in infused evening dishes when you plan to medicate socially, enjoy Headband matzo ball soup with a glass of your favorite kosher craft brewed ale or wine. With each bite of this hearty soup and each sip of your favorite beverage, you will feel the comfort of relaxation wash over you, ridding your body of any stress.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 quart water
- 1 sweet onion finely chopped
- 4 large celery stalks finely chopped
- 4 large carrots finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 3 sprigs fresh dill
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh sage
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
Ingredients You Will Need For Matzo Balls:
- 1 cup matzo meal
- 3 large organic eggs
- 4 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons palm shortening or vegetable oil infused with Headband
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Directions For Soup:
Step 1: Add the vegetable oil to a stock pot and bring up to temperature over medium-high heat. Sautée the minced garlic and onions until translucent, then add the celery and carrots. Add a splash of chicken stock and sweat the celery and carrots over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes.
Step 2: Add the whole chicken over the vegetables followed by the rest of the chicken stock. Dissolve the cornstarch in the quart of water and then add to the pot.
Step 3: Drop the dill, bay leaf, thyme and sage into the water. Crack black pepper and sea salt into the pot. Bring this mixture up to a full boil for a few minutes, then drop it to a simmer uncovered for 2 hours (lowest setting).
Step 4: Prepare matzo dough while soup is simmering. Refer to the instructions below on how to prepare these dumplings.
Step 5: When the two hours is up, cautiously remove the chicken without losing any bones in the process. Debone and shred the chicken, then add the meat back to the pot. Season the soup with more salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf and sprigs of herbs.
Step 6: Form the matzo dumpling mix into balls, then gently drop them into the soup one by one, taking care to cover the soup with a lid each time. When all the matzo balls are in the soup, continue to simmer the soup covered for 20 minutes without displacing the lid.
Step 7: Serve the soup and matzo balls and fresh dill for a garnish. Enjoy!
Directions For Matzo Balls:
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix the eggs and melted palm shortening infused with Headband (or vegetable oil). Sift the matzo meal, baking powder and ground black pepper into the egg mixture. Finally, add the water and mix until fully combined.
Step 2: Cover the bowl with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator until it is time to make the dumplings.
Yield: 12 matzo balls
Dosage: Make your infused palm shortening or vegetable oil with 7 grams of Headband per 1/2 cup. The strain should test around 27 percent of THC. This will yield a dosage of 4.8 mg per tablespoon or 1.2 mg per matzo ball.
Strain Suggestion
I would recommend strains that possess sandalwood or spice terpenes and flavonoids. The following would be ideal if you didn’t have Headband:
- Spice: An exotic indica-sativa union that offers a pleasing body buzz.
- OG Kush: Sativa-dominant hybrid that’s ideal for treating readepression and anxiety.
- Hash Plant: A delicious, earthy indica-dominant strain that’ll relax you and take away your pain.
If you cannot find these strains, don’t panic, just follow your nose and taste buds to finds strains that would complement the dish. When choosing another strain, keep in mind that the THC percentage and strain lineage/effects will be different, therefore dose accordingly.
