Schwäbische Hochzeitssuppe

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large stockpot, 6 to 8 litres
• •Fine sieve and clean cotton cloth
• •Small skillet for thin pancakes
• •Ladle and warm soup bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the broth

   Put the beef bones, soup meat, and cold water in a large pot and bring it up slowly over medium heat. Start cold because the flavour and soluble proteins move into the water before the meat tightens; start hot and you seal too much inside. As the grey foam rises, skim it patiently, because a hard boil breaks that foam back into the soup and clouds the broth.

   Do not wash the bones after blanching tricks or roasted shortcuts here. This is a clear Swabian broth, not a brown stock. Slow heat and skimming do the work.
2. 2

   Simmer it clear

   Add the onion, carrots, leek, celeriac, parsley root if using, bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley stems, and the teaspoon of salt. Keep the surface just trembling for 3 hours, not rolling, because movement is what makes a cloudy broth. The meat should turn tender, and the liquid should taste deep before it tastes salty. Salt can be fixed at the end; a boiled grey broth cannot.

3. 3

   Strain and settle

   Lift out the meat and bones, then strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with a clean cloth. Do not press the vegetables, because pressing forces starch and pulp into the liquid and steals the clear finish. Let the broth stand 10 minutes, then spoon off excess fat, leaving a little shine because fat carries flavour. Würzen, Fett, Salz zum Schluss.

4. 4

   Make Markklößchen

   Warm the marrow gently until it softens, then mash it with the breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley, nutmeg, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture rest 15 minutes so the crumbs drink the marrow and egg; shape it too soon and the dumplings crumble in the pot. Roll small balls, then poach one test dumpling in barely trembling broth. If it holds, shape the rest. If it breaks, work in a spoon more breadcrumbs. Erst verstehen, dann kochen.

5. 5

   Cook the Flädle

   Whisk the eggs, milk, flour, salt, and melted butter into a thin batter and let it rest 15 minutes, because rested flour hydrates and gives you tender pancakes instead of leathery ones. Cook two thin pancakes in a lightly buttered pan, pale gold on both sides. Let them cool, roll them tightly, and slice into fine ribbons. Flädle go in the bowl last, or they swell and drink the soup meant for the guest.

6. 6

   Roll Brätstrudel

   Mix the Brät with the egg white, cream, and chopped chives until smooth. Spread it thinly over one cooled pancake, leaving a narrow edge, then roll it snugly and wrap it in lightly buttered foil or parchment. Poach the roll gently in broth or salted water for 15 to 18 minutes, because a boil makes the filling puff, split, and push itself out. Cool it slightly, then slice into neat rounds.

7. 7

   Warm the Maultaschen

   Warm the Maultaschen separately in a little broth, never at a boil, because the pasta skin is already cooked and rough heat opens the seams. Use one small Maultasche per bowl, or half a large one. This is Swabia speaking, so let it speak clearly, not by filling the bowl until the broth disappears.

8. 8

   Assemble the soup

   Bring the strained broth back to a quiet simmer and taste it hard now: salt, pepper, and a scrape of nutmeg if it needs it. Warm the Markklößchen, Brätstrudel slices, and Maultaschen in the broth just until heated through, then place them in warm bowls with a small nest of Flädle. Ladle clear broth over the top and finish with chives. Serve at once, before the pancakes drink too much. Schön ist, was schmeckt.

Chef Tips

• •Use bones with marrow. The broth needs bones for body, and the Markklößchen need the marrow for their soft, old-fashioned richness. Weggeworfen wird nichts.
• •Keep the broth below a boil after the first rise. A clear soup is a quiet soup, and no garnish can hide a cloudy base.
• •If you buy Maultaschen, buy good ones from a butcher or make them ahead. A packet filled with paste and breadcrumbs will taste exactly like a packet.
• •The soup meat is not waste. Slice it cold for salad with onions and vinegar, or dice it into another soup the next day.
• •For a lighter bowl, reduce the number of Einlagen rather than thinning the broth. A strong clear broth with three good pieces beats a weak pot crowded with everything.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the broth up to 2 days ahead, chill it, and lift off the hardened excess fat. Reheat gently so it stays clear.
• •Markklößchen can be shaped 1 day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Poach a test dumpling before shaping the full batch.
• •Flädle can be cooked, cooled, rolled, and sliced several hours ahead. Keep them covered, then place them in the bowl at the last moment.
• •Brätstrudel can be poached 1 day ahead, chilled whole, and sliced before service. Warm the slices gently in broth so the filling stays tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 550g)