The best bowl in Philadelphia: Snapper soup

Serves 6 · 1 hr 30 min

Light, tender matzo balls in a clear chicken broth with carrots, celery and fresh dill. Inspired by the deli bowl, made in a home pot.

You need

• 1 cup (115 g) matzo meal
• 4 large eggs
• 5 tbsp schmaltz or neutral oil, divided (1/4 cup for the batter, 1 tbsp for the vegetables)
• 1/4 cup plain seltzer
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, for the batter
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, divided (2 tbsp in the batter, 2 tbsp for serving)
• 4 quarts water, for cooking the matzo balls
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the cooking water
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 medium carrots (about 8 oz), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 celery ribs, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 small yellow onion (about 5 oz), finely diced
• Kosher salt, to taste

How to make it

1. Whisk the eggs, 1/4 cup schmaltz, seltzer, 1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and 2 tbsp dill in a large bowl until blended.
2. Stir in the matzo meal until no dry spots remain. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the batter is thick and scoopable.
3. While it chills, heat the remaining 1 tbsp fat in the 4-quart pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion turns translucent.
4. Add the broth to the vegetables and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low, cover, and keep at a bare simmer for 15 minutes until the carrots are tender.
5. Bring the 4 quarts of water and 1 tbsp salt to a boil in the 6-quart pot, then lower to a steady simmer.
6. Wet your hands and roll the chilled batter into 12 balls, about 2 tbsp each. Do not pack them tightly, because they will roughly double in size.
7. Slide the balls into the simmering water, cover, and cook for 30 minutes at a gentle simmer. Cut one open to check that it is pale and tender all the way through.
8. Lift the matzo balls out with a slotted spoon and add them to the soup pot. Warm them in the broth over low heat for 5 minutes so they soak up flavor.
9. Taste the broth and add kosher salt as needed. Ladle into bowls with 2 matzo balls each and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp dill.

Pans and tools

• Large mixing bowl
• 6-quart pot with lid
• 4-quart soup pot
• Slotted spoon
• Small cookie scoop or tablespoon

Chef's tips

• Cook the balls in plain salted water, not the soup, or they cloud the broth and soak up its salt.
• Chill the batter and keep the simmer gentle, since a hard boil breaks the balls apart.
• Make the balls up to 2 days ahead and store in broth in the fridge. Reheat gently in the soup.
• For firmer balls, swap the seltzer for broth; for fluffier ones, use very cold seltzer and do not overmix.

Contains: egg, wheat, celery.

From The Best 100: our home version, inspired by Katz's Delicatessen, New York. Saved, it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

Serves 6 · 4 hr 30 min

A clear, fragrant beef broth simmered for hours with charred onion, ginger and warm spices, poured over rice noodles and paper-thin raw beef. Inspired by the beef noodle soup at Le Colonial in Houston.

You need

• 2 lb (900 g) beef oxtail, cut in sections
• 2 lb (900 g) beef marrow or knuckle bones
• 2 medium yellow onions (about 1 lb), halved and left unpeeled
• 4-inch piece fresh ginger (about 3 oz), halved lengthwise
• 3 whole star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 5 quarts (4.7 liters) cold water, plus more for parboiling
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 lb (450 g) dried flat rice noodles (banh pho)
• 8 oz (225 g) beef tenderloin, trimmed and sliced paper thin
• 1 small white onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 cup Thai basil leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro sprigs
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 3 limes, cut into wedges
• Hoisin sauce and sriracha for the table (3 tablespoons each)

How to make it

1. Put the oxtail and bones in the stockpot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil hard for 10 minutes while gray scum rises, then drain and rinse every piece under cold water. Scrub out the pot.
2. Heat the broiler with a rack 4 inches from the element. Broil the onion halves and ginger on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, turning once, until blackened in spots and soft. Cool, peel off the loose skin, and rinse.
3. Toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and fennel in the dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Tie them into cheesecloth.
4. Return the bones to the clean pot with the 5 quarts cold water, charred onion, ginger and the spice bundle. Bring to a boil over high heat, about 20 minutes, skimming off foam.
5. Reduce the heat to low so the surface barely trembles. Simmer partly covered for 3 hours, skimming now and then, and lift out the spice bundle after the first hour so it does not turn bitter.
6. Lift the oxtail onto a plate. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones in large pieces and set aside, returning the bones to the pot.
7. Strain the broth through the fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot, pressing lightly. Skim fat from the top with a ladle, then stir in the fish sauce, salt and sugar and taste, adding fish sauce until savory with a slight sweetness. Keep at a bare simmer.
8. About 40 minutes before serving, wrap the beef tenderloin and freeze it for 20 minutes to firm it up. Soak the dried noodles in warm tap water for 30 minutes, until pliable and white.
9. Slice the chilled beef against the grain as thin as paper. Arrange the sliced onion, scallions, sprouts, basil, cilantro, jalapeno and lime wedges on a platter.
10. Boil a large pot of water and cook the soaked noodles for 1 to 2 minutes, until tender but still springy. Drain and divide among 6 large bowls, then lay the shredded oxtail and raw beef slices on top.
11. Bring the broth to a rolling boil, then ladle at least 1 1/2 cups over each bowl; the heat cooks the raw beef to a blush pink within a minute. Serve with the garnish platter, hoisin and sriracha.

Pans and tools

• 12-quart stockpot
• rimmed baking sheet
• dry skillet
• fine-mesh strainer
• cheesecloth or tea ball for spices
• large pot for noodles
• sharp slicing knife
• instant-read thermometer

Chef's tips

• Common mistake: boiling the broth hard, which turns it cloudy. Keep it at a bare simmer and skim.
• Make-ahead: the broth keeps 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. The fat that hardens on top is easy to lift off.
• Reheat the broth to a full boil before serving or the raw beef will not cook.
• Swap: use beef shank or short rib for part of the oxtail, and gluten-free tamari-free hoisin is optional at the table.

Contains: fish, soy, wheat.

From The Best 100: our home version, inspired by Le Colonial, Houston. Saved, it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

Serves 4 · 1 hr 30 min (with cooked brisket) · Medium

A Jewish-deli-meets-ramen bowl. Leftover braised or smoked brisket is perfect; so is good deli brisket, thick-cut.

You need

• For the matzo balls: 2 eggs, 2 tbsp schmaltz or oil, 1/2 cup (60 g) matzo meal, 2 tbsp seltzer, 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 quarts (1.9 l) rich chicken broth
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp white miso, 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 in (2.5 cm) ginger, sliced, 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 lb (450 g) cooked brisket, thick-sliced
• 4 portions fresh ramen noodles
• 1 cup (150 g) kimchi
• 4 soft-boiled eggs, halved
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Chili oil, to serve

How to make it

1. Mix the egg, schmaltz, matzo meal, seltzer and salt and chill 30 minutes. Roll into 4 balls and simmer, covered, in salted water 30 minutes.
2. Simmer the broth with the ginger and garlic 15 minutes; strain and season with the soy, miso and sesame oil.
3. Warm the brisket in a ladle of broth, or sear the slices in a hot pan.
4. Cook the noodles and divide among bowls; pour over the hot broth.
5. Top each with brisket, a matzo ball, kimchi, an egg half and green onion, and pass chili oil.

Chef's tips

• Make the matzo balls a day ahead; they keep in their water.

Contains: wheat, eggs, soy, sesame..

Chef Amazing's own recipe, written for a home kitchen. Saved, it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.

Serves 6 · 1 hr 30 min · Easy

A Lancaster County summer and church-supper soup. Rivels are rubbed-together bits of egg and flour that cook in seconds.

You need

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) chicken pieces, bone in
• 3 quarts (2.8 l) water
• 1 onion, 2 celery ribs with leaves
• A pinch of saffron or 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 4 cups (600 g) corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tsp salt, black pepper
• For the rivels: 1 cup (125 g) flour, 1 egg, 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, and parsley, to serve

How to make it

1. Simmer the chicken with the onion, celery, saffron and salt in the water 1 hour. Lift out the chicken, shred it, and strain the broth.
2. Rub the flour, egg and salt together with your fingers into pea-sized crumbs.
3. Bring the broth back to a boil, add the corn and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle in the rivels, stirring, and cook 8 minutes.
5. Add the chicken, season, and serve with chopped egg and parsley.

Chef's tips

• Rivels should be small and uneven; that's right.

Contains: wheat, eggs, celery..

Chef Amazing's own recipe, written for a home kitchen. Saved, it opens in Chef Amazing with a timeline, mise en place and what you already have.