My chicken matzo ball soup is medicine soup. Every time I or a loved one has a cold, I make it. And every time I credit it with miraculously curing them. So at this vulnerable time of year when sniffles are on the horizon, it seems appropriate to share with you my very easy recipe. 

In France I make it with pintade, old hens with tons of flavor and barnyard experience. When I am in America I make it with the best organic free range chicken I can find. Grating carrots into the broth in addition to slicing them in adds to the amazing color and flavor that develops. 

This is a free-form casual type of recipe. No measurements. No rules. Here is how it goes:

1. Pour water into a pot and add chicken bones for making soup, or a whole chicken, or chicken pieces, or chicken thighs.

2. Add in chopped sweet onions (I use 1 medium), sliced fresh garlic (I use 4-5 cloves), a couple of stalks of sliced celery (save the leaves for later), grated carrots (I use at least 2), sliced carrots (because people love them this way), and sea salt. 

3. Bring to a boil then simmer until it yields a good tasting broth. This can take as little as half an hour, depending on the ingredients you put in.

4. Make matzo balls mixture and put in fridge. (I cheat and use the packaged mixes and add in a dash of nutmeg and some fresh dill and cracked pepper).

5. When the broth tastes delicious, take the chicken/chicken parts out and pull off the chicken and reserve. Discard the bones.

6. Add back in the chicken, snip in fresh dill, grate in another carrot or two, and add in the celery leaves. Then spoon in big dollops of matzo balls, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve and feel better! Chicken Soup Medicine.