Leberknödel Suppe (German Liver Dumpling Soup)

• 180 g Crusty white bread, preferably day-old
• 200 ml Whole milk
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 30 g Unsalted butter
• 20 g Fresh parsley
• 1 tsp Marjoram
• 300 g Beef liver
• 1 Egg
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
• 1.2 liters Beef stock

1. Tear the bread into small pieces and put in a mixing bowl. Warm the milk until just steaming, then pour over the bread and leave to soak until softened.
2. Finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, then cook the onion with a pinch of the salt until soft and sweet, 8 to 10 minutes; do not let it brown.
3. Finely chop most of the parsley, reserving a little for serving. Finely chop the liver, then add it to the bowl with the soaked bread, cooked onion, chopped parsley, marjoram, egg, remaining salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until you have a cohesive dumpling mixture. Cover and rest for 10 minutes so the bread fully hydrates and the mixture firms up.
5. Bring the beef stock to a gentle simmer in a large pot. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 8 dumplings and lower them into the simmering stock.
6. Poach at a bare simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through and feel firm but springy. Use a slotted spoon to lift one out and check it is no longer pink in the centre, then return it to the pot.
7. Ladle the clear broth into warm bowls and add two dumplings per serving. Finish with the reserved parsley and a final grind of black pepper if you like.

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