Butter balls chicken soup

 
                         Butter Balls Chicken Soup
 
 Recipe By     : The Canadiana Cookbook/Mme Jehane Benoit/1970
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Poultry                          Soups & Stews
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    3      lbs           chicken
      1/2  c             chopped celery leaves
    1                    bay leaf
   10                    peppercorns
    1      tsp           salt
    5      c             hot water
    1      c             diced celery
    2      tbsp          chopped fresh parsley
    2      tbsp          butter
    5      to 6 tbsp     flour
      1/4  tsp           salt
 
 Cut chicken into portions, place in a saucepan with celery leaves, bay
 leaf, peppercorns, the one teaspoon salt and the water. Bring to a boil,
 cover and simmer over low heat for about one hour, or until chicken is
 tender. Strain, then return broth to saucepan. Cut chicken into small
 pieces, add to broth with celery and parsley, then simmer. 
 
 To make the butter balls, cream butter, add eggs and beat. Gradually add
 flour and the 1/4 tsp salt. Beat hard until whole is like a very soft
 batter. Drop by 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoonfuls into broth, cover and let stand 5
 minutes over low heat.
 
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 NOTES : The butter balls, very tiny dumplings, are called rivels in the
 West and dropsley in Ontario. This combination makes a perfect light
 supper. I sometimes replace the chicken soup in this recipe with a can of
 consomme and an equal amount of water.