I like to keep matzah ball soup simple with a full-tasting infused chicken broth, and light but toothsome, basic but flavorful, and smaller-sized matzah balls. Garnish with dill, and perhaps some thin-sliced small raw carrots for texture. Infusing broth is a technique I learned from Myhrvold's Modernist Cuisine - steep aromatics in stock in the same manner you would tea or coffee in hot water. He uses a french press, and adds the flavorings right before serving, steeping for only three minutes so as not to develop bitterness - just like tea. My seder soup was for 24 people though, so I filled a tea ball with star anise, toasted garlic cloves, and peppercorns, and dropped it in the pot of basic salted chicken stock to infuse for about 1/2 hour. You can totally use other aromatics though - I like to make an hors d'ouevre of chicken soup shooters infused with lemongrass and galangal, mini matzah balls, and flecks of cilantro and thai basil.
Matzah Balls
Makes 40 smallish matzo balls
2 cups matzo meal
8 eggs, lightly beaten
8 tablespoons duck fat
salt/pepper
8 tablespoons seltzer
2 large garlic cloves, grated on a rasp
Mix everything together, let rest at room temp for ½ hr.
Form into walnut size balls.
Cook covered in boiling, salted water or chix stock for ½ hr or until cooked through.
Soup
Make a double chicken stock (ask me how). Fortify with sachet of star anise, peppercorns, toasted garlic. Infuse at the end for 30 minutes or until flavorful.
Matzo Meal (Obviously)