Danish Hen’s Soup with Dumplings

For the soup base

• 4 c good quality chicken broth or stock.
• 3 large carrots, diced or sliced
• 2 leeks or celery stalks, diced
• a handful of chopped parsley

For the meatballs

• 1/2 lb ground pork
•  2 T bread crumbs
• 2 T milk
• 1 egg
• 2 oz butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 pinch of pepper

For the dumplings – recipe will make about 20

• 1/2 c water
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper

Soup base

In a large pan bring the broth to a boil then add the carrots and leeks; reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are just barely cooked.  Remove from the heat and let sit until ready to combine everything.

Dumplings

Melt the butter in a saucepan with the water and salt. Stir in the flour and mix until it all comes together and is smooth.

Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the eggs one at a time until well combined.

Fill a medium-sized pan with about 2″ of water and bring it to a boil.  Salt it liberally.

Shape the dough into small balls – about 1″ wide. You can either use a teaspoon, or you can put the dough into a solid plastic bag that you cut the corner off. 

Put the little dumplings into the boiling water and let them cook for 5 minutes, keeping the water just at the boiling point.  No need to turn the dumplings.  Remove from the water and cool on paper towels.

Meatballs

Mix all the ingredients (you can actually do this in the food processor, if you’re careful not to overmix, but I do it with my – clean – hands).

Using your hands, shape into small balls – about 1″ across.  Dipping your hands in cold water before shaping the meatballs will help prevent them sticking to your hands.

Put the meatballs into boiling water. Let them simmer for about 5 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove and cool on paper towels.

Serving

When you’re about ready to serve, add the meatballs to the broth and bring the broth up to a simmer.  Simmer the mixture for a few minutes. Then add the dumplings and simmer for another minute or so.