Leberknödelsuppe

Step 1

Tear the stale white bread into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of whole milk over the bread and let it soak for 5 minutes — the bread should absorb the milk and become soft and pulpy. Squeeze gently with your fingers to break it down into a paste.

Step 2

Place 0.5 lb of ground pork liver and 0.25 lb of ground pork into a medium bowl. Add the soaked bread mixture, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley, 0.5 teaspoon of fresh marjoram (or thyme), 0.5 teaspoon of kosher salt, 0.25 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of ground nutmeg — about 0.125 teaspoon.

Step 3

Using a wooden spoon or your hands (hands work best), mix the dumpling mixture gently until just combined — you want everything evenly distributed but you're not trying to make it dense. Overworking will make the dumplings tough. The mixture should be moist and hold together when you squeeze a small amount.

Step 4

Bring 6 cups of low-sodium beef broth to a gentle simmer in a large pot over medium-high heat. You should see small, lazy bubbles breaking the surface regularly. Season with 0.5 teaspoon of kosher salt and 0.25 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper — taste it and adjust if needed.

Step 5

Once the broth is simmering steadily, use a spoon to carefully shape the dumpling mixture into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter — they don't need to be perfect. Dip the spoon in the broth between each dumpling to prevent sticking. Gently drop each dumpling into the simmering broth.

Step 6

Once all the dumplings are in the pot, they will first sink to the bottom. Resist the urge to stir right away — let them cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. Then gently stir the soup once to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. The dumplings will gradually float to the surface as they cook.

Step 7

Continue simmering gently for 8-10 minutes after the dumplings float. They should be cooked through with no raw liver taste — if you cut one open with a spoon, the interior should be no longer pink and should hold together. The broth should remain at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, or the dumplings may fall apart.

Step 8

Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. The soup should taste rich and savory without being heavy.

Step 9

Ladle the soup into warm bowls, dividing the dumplings evenly — you should have about 2-3 dumplings per serving. Garnish each bowl with 1.5 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately while steaming hot, with crusty bread on the side if desired.