matzo ball pozole verde
This soup is schmaltzy, but it’s also bright and fresh. The matzo balls stand in for traditional hominy (is it even a pozole? Unclear). Typically, I’d advocate for broth made from slow simmered chicken bones, but in this recipe the crispy roasted skin and drippings take priority - and cut down on time.
yield 4 servings
soup ingredients
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approx. 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 ts ground cumin
1/2 medium white onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 poblano chile, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, stem and seeds removed, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
3ish tomatillos (approx. 6oz), husks removed, quartered
1/4 cup roughly shopped cilantro leaves and stems
1 bunch kale, center stalks removed, torn into medium pieces
matzo ball ingredients
3 T olive oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup matzo meal
1 1/2 ts kosher salt
2 T finely chopped cilantro
3 T seltzer water or club soda
optional toppings
1 small red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
1 hass avocado, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/3 cup queso fresco or cotija cheese (if you aren’t keeping kosher)
1 lime, cut into wedges
recipe prep
Preheat the oven to 475F. Heat a dutch oven or other oven-safe heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the pan. Liberally salt and pepper the chicken thighs. Once the pan is hot but not smoking, add the chicken skin side down (make sure to unroll any extra skin curled over so it has contact with the pan). Cook 8-12 minutes, rearranging occasionally only if needed to cook evenly, until the skin is golden brown.]
Put the pot into the oven for 12 minutes. Flip the thighs over and continue cooking until the skin is crispy and the meat is cooked through - 160F at the deepest point (5-10 minutes). Return the pot to the stove and transfer chicken to a plate to cool for later.
To make the matzo balls, beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the olive oil, matzo meal, cilantro, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper, to taste. Add seltzer water and mix until the dough is uniform (it should look way too loose, it will thicken in the fridge). Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Add the cumin, onion and celery to the dutch oven (with the chicken drippings!) and return to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for 8-10 minutes until onions and celery are translucent and browned in some spots. Add 6 cups of water, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
While the water is heating, combine the poblano, jalapenos, garlic, tomatillos, cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth (you might need to add 1/4 cup water to a blender to get things moving). Reserve for later.
Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a separate, medium pot with a tight lid. Season with 3 tablespoons salt. Remove the matzo ball dough from the fridge. Using damp hands so the dough doesn’t stick, roll mixture into 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Once you’ve rolled all of the balls, carefully lower them into the boiling water. Cover the pot, bring the heat down very low so the balls are just simmering and cook for 40 minutes. Do not pull them out or open the pot earlier than this because the balls will be dense or under-cooked. Once they are finished cooking, turn off heat and let balls sit in cooking liquid until ready to serve.
Once the non-matzo ball water is at a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Add the chile-tomatillo mixture. Remove all the bones from the chicken and shred the meat and skin into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken, skin and any drippings/juices to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes more to meld flavors.
Add kale and stir. Cook for 1 minute or until kale has softened a bit. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer matzo balls to the soup. Serve with any toppings you like.
