Hi guys 👋 , yup, we’re still here. Same place we were yesterday and the day before that. Rather than sit here and dwell on the downsides and scary parts of #stayathome, I’m trying to embrace the positives. Other than the obvious increase in family time (which fluctuates between 😃 and 😫 on an hourly basis), and the newfound fun I’m having with my Me vs. Myself Cooking Competitions, I am enjoying catching up with all those cooking shows I recorded.
I’m a big fan of Molly Yeh’s ‘Girl Meets Farm’. She’s just so darn cute and always adds an interesting twist to her dishes. Molly makes me happy - couldn’t we all use a little happiness and positivity right now! 😀
I recently watched Molly make this deliciously, comforting Knoephla Soup. It’s a lovely chicken broth with veggies and ‘button’ dumplings floating in it. My dumplings came out a little more rustic than I would have liked but they were still delicious #knoephlagoals. This soup is a hug in a bowl, so if you need some love right now, get yourself some of this. I added chicken and green beans which were leftovers from the night before, and I left out the potatoes (we’re not big potato eaters). Make this your own with whatever you’ve got, ‘cause this is not the time to be running to the store for one missing ingredient!
Ingredients for 8-10 servings - lightly adapted from original recipe by Molly Yeh
For the soup:
3 tablespoons butter
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large onion, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
10 cups (2.36L) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped OR 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped OR 1 teaspoon dried chives
2 bay leaves
1-1/2 pounds (680g) red potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
Optional add-ins: leftover roast chicken and/or veggies chopped.
For the Knoephla (dumplings):
3-1/4 cups (406g) flour, plus more for dusting
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (240ml) water
1 large egg
To make the soup, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onions, a good pinch of salt and a few turns of pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 more minutes.
Add the stock, herbs, bay leaves and potatoes, stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the knoephla. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, a few turns of pepper and the nutmeg in a medium bowl. Stir in the water and egg and mix to form a shaggy dough. Turn it out onto a clean work surface and knead it for a few minutes, adding more flour as needed, until you have a smooth and stiff dough. Roll it into a 1/2-inch-thick disc, then cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch squares, dusting with flour so they don't stick together.
When the soup has 20 minutes left of simmer-time, drop the knoephla into the soup, a few at a time, and continue to simmer. Give it a gentle stir every few minutes. Five minutes before the simmer time is over, add any leftover bits and bobs that you’d like to include.
After the knoephla have cooked for 20 minutes, stir in the cream and remove the bay leaves. Enjoy & feel the love!