Organic Chicken and Matzo Ball Soup

Soup:
Yield is 1 gallon of soup, 8 dinner portions

1        whole organic chicken
1 gal    water
2        carrots, medium diced
1        onion, small diced
1        bunch, leeks
2        stalks celery, small diced
12       cherry tomatoes
½ cup    hard herbs, finely chopped
4        bay leaves
         Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup    olive oil
¼ cup    cooking oil
¼ cup    sea salt

Matzo Balls:
1 cup        Matzo meal
4            organic eggs
½ cup        chicken schmaltz

Method:
Rub chicken with sea salt, olive oil and the hard herbs.  Roast in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Pick all the meat off the chicken and begin a stock with the bones.  Add 1 onion, 1 stalk of celery, and 1 carrot to the bones and cover with 1 gallon of water and simmer over medium heat for 1 -1/2 hours, then strain.

Begin the soup by lightly sweating the vegetables (not the tomatoes) in cooking oil for 5 minutes.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Begin the Matzo balls by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl and allowing to rest 15 minutes.  With well-oiled hands, form golf ball sized balls and gently drop into simmering soup.  Reduce heat, cover and cook the Matzo balls for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and uncover.  Let soup rest for at least 10 minutes and flip each Matzo ball over once.  Add the cherry tomatoes and any additional herbs that may be left over.  Season with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!