Traditional Danish Clear Chicken Soup with Meatballs and Dumplings

Clear soup with meatballs and dumplings, is not without reason has become a classic of Danish cuisine. However, it is often a big difference in quality. Here is a great recipe. When I make soup, I plan to be used with 2 dl finished soup per person. So this recipe is for 5 people.

Ingredients

The soup

  • 1 liter (1 quart) light chicken or chicken stock.
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 leeks
  • 1 parsley root, 3 stalks celery or 1/4 celeriac root.

If you prefer you can use some of the meat that is left over from making the stock.

Meatballs

  • 250 g (½ lbs) ground calf or pig meat
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 pinch of pepper

Dumplings

  • 75 g (2.5 oz) wheat flour
  • 50 g (2.8 oz) butter
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1½ dl (½ cup) water
  • 1/2 tsp salt and freshly ground white pepper.

Directions

The soup

Bring the stock to a boil.

Cut the root vegetable into small cubes. approx. ½ x ½ cm. (1/4 inch x 1/4 inch)

Cut the leeks into ½ cm (1/4 inch) thick slices

Meatballs

Mix all the ingredients.

Shape into small balls. The smaller the better. Use a small spoon and shape them on the inside of your hand. If  you dipp a teaspoon into boiling water it will prevent the meat from sticking.

Put the meatballs into boiling water. Let them simmer for 2-4 minutes.

Dumplings

Melt the butter in a saucepan with the water.

Stir in the flour too.

Turn off the heat when the mixture is kneaded shiny, and let it cool for a 10 minute period.

Stir in the eggs in one at a time.

Add salt and pepper.

Shape the dough into small balls. You can either use a teaspoon, or you can put the dough into a solid plastic bag that you cut the corner of. Then press the dough into a long roll and get someone to help with scissoring them into small pieces, while the roll hangs in the air.

Put them into boiling water. Let them cook for 5 minutes.

Serving

Let the stock boil

Add the meatballs and vegetables.

Let it boil again.

Add the dumplings and turn off the heat.

Serve with the pieces of meat at the bottom of the plate. (optional)

Notes

For a gluten free version you can use flour free Gnocchi’s instead of dumplings.

It is a good idea to make the stock from 2 parts chicken to 1 part cow. Use approx. 1.5 kg (3-4 lbs) meat in total.