Kød og Melboller Suppe (Meatball and Dumpling Soup)

• Note: We cook our dumplings and meatballs separately from the soup, usually so we can split up the batch and save some for later. If you would like, you can add the raw dumplings and the meatballs to the soup and cook them in there, just making sure everything gets fully cooked through. It's a personal preference!

Dough Dumplings

• Fill a large pot with water and heat over medium-high heat (you want the water to boil so you can cook the dumplings and the meatballs!).
• To make dough dumplings, begin by combining water, butter, and salt in a small pot over medium heat until the butter has melted. Note: you want to bring the mixture to a point where it is just boiling so that when you add the flour, it will thicken to the right consistency!
  
• Once the butter mixture melts, add the flour in all at once and stir vigorously. You should hear the mixture sizzling slightly as the flour absorbs the liquid.
  
• Keep stirring over medium to medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the saucepan and comes away cleanly. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
  
• Next, add the 3 eggs to the cooled dough mixture, one at a time! Mix vigorously after adding each egg. The mixture should become homogeneous before you add the next.
  
• Once all 3 eggs are in, continue stirring for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and you get a “V” shape when you lift up the spatula from the batter.
  
• To form the dumplings, you can either add to a piping bag and pipe over the boiling water, cutting the dough as it pipes out of the bag into small, ~1inch pieces. We like to form the dumplings using two teaspoons, as it makes for larger, oval shaped dumplings like our great grandmother used to make!
• To form the dumplings using spoons, make sure to have a bowl of water nearby. Wet the spoons and scoop a teaspoon of dough. Use the second spoon to help create a dome shape – you can transfer the dough between spoons a few times to round out the shape!
  
• When done, place on a plate until you have enough to boil a whole batch of dumplings. You can add either oil or flour to the plate to prevent them from sticking too much. Make sure to wet the spoons again before making another one!
  
• Once the dumplings are formed, place in boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
  
• After about 5 minutes, all the dumplings should float! Remove and place on a plate until ready to add to the soup. You can make these ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for a super easy and quick dinner!
  

Meatballs

• If making meatballs the same day, you can use the same water to cook the meatballs in. Have a large pot of water ready with boiling water.
• Finely dice your onion.
  
• To make the meatballs, combine ground meat, an egg, flour, finely diced onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder in a medium mixing bowl. Combine well and add milk in two batches so the mixture doesn't become too wet – you just want to hydrate it enough that it holds together easily!
  
• You can test a small piece by putting it in the microwave for about 15 seconds until the meat is cooked to check for seasoning! Once you are happy with the seasoning and the mixture is homogenous, form meatballs about 1inch in diameter.
  
• Place the meatballs in a pot of boiling water and cook for 5-10 minutes until fully cooked through the center.
  
• Once cooked, you can save in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. If using the same day, set aside until the soup base is ready.
  

Soup

• To make soup base, dice onions, carrots, and celery into bite size pieces.
  
• Add to a large pot with a little bit of oil and cook over medium heat until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
  
• Chop parsley and set aside.
  
• Add seasoning (thyme, salt, pepper).
  
• Melt two tablespoons of butter in the pot and then add two tablespoons of flour and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.
  
• Slowly add stock and/or water, stirring to dissolve the flour. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the vegetables have softened to your preferred consistency, about 10-15 minutes. Make sure to check for seasoning and add more salt if needed!
  
• Add in the meatballs and the dumplings and heat them through (you do not want them to cook much longer at this point but just get reheated! If you are adding from frozen, they may take longer to heat up!)
  
• Add in fresh parsley and gently stir to combine.
  
• Serve and enjoy!