Hen’s soup with double dumplings (hønsekødssuppe)

"There is a lovely relationship between many classic Danish dishes. When a chicken is boiled to make stock, the meat of the bird is often used for creamy chicken and asparagus tartlets, while the broth is turned into this delicious chicken soup with both pork and dough dumplings. While we used some of the locally available baby vegetables in this soup, it is just as delicious served with the vegetables used to make the stock." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Scandinavia

• serves

  8

• prep

  40 minutes

• cook

  1:45 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg whole chicken
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 2 leeks, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 3 carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 parsnip, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• ⅓ cup finely shredded parsley and wild garlic (optional)
• bouquet garnish of thyme, parsley, bay leaf and wild garlic (optional)

Dumplings

• 100 g butter
• 300 g (2 cups) plain flour
• 1 tbsp salt
• 3 eggs

Meatballs

• 300 g pork mince
• 2 slices white bread, crust-less, torn
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 egg
• 50 g butter
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg

Resting time 20 minutes

Instructions

For the stock, place the chicken into a large saucepan and add enough water to cover well, ensuring the chicken is completely submerged. Bring to the boil over high heat, then drain and rinse the chicken under running water. Place the chicken into a clean pan, add 4 litres water or enough to cover and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the celery, leek, carrots, parsnip, peppercorns and bouquet garni, then reduce the heat low and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour, skimming any impurities that rise to the surface. Remove the chicken and store for another use. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.

For the dumplings, bring 250ml (1 cup) water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add the butter and stir until melted, then remove from the heat. Stir in flour and salt until smooth, then beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.

For the meatballs, pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor until just combined.

Shape the meatball and dough mixture into 2 cm balls and keep separate.

Cook the meatballs and dumplings, separately in a saucepan of lightly salted simmering water just until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Divide the dumplings and meatballs among soup bowls, then ladle in the hot soup and vegetables. Scatter with parsley and wild garlic to serve.

Photography, styling and food preparation by Adam Liaw.

Visit the Destination Flavour Scandinavia program page for recipes, videos and more.

View recipes from past seasons: Destination Flavour Down Under, Destination Flavour Japan, Destination Flavour S1.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.