Hochzeitssuppe (German Wedding Soup) With Dumplings - cooking recipe

Ingredients

500 g beef
1 None onion, peeled and quartered
1 None tomato, cross carved into the skin
1 None leek, sliced
200 g celeriac, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp salt
6 None black peppercorns
500 g carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal chunks
4 None eggs
375 ml semi-skimmed milk
None None Grated nutmeg
50 g butter
125 g plain flour
30 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
500 g asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into diagonal slices
400 g frozen peas, thawed

Preparation

Place the beef, onion, tomato, leek, celeriac, salt, peppercorns, 1/2 lb carrots and 8 1/2 cups water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer over a medium heat for 2 hours.
To make the egg custard, grease a small baking dish. In a bowl, beat 2 eggs and 1/2 cup milk together. Season with salt and a pinch of nutmeg. Pour into the dish then place in a hot water bath for 30 mins, undisturbed. Once set, turn the egg custard out of the dish and cut into small cubes.
To make the dumplings, melt the butter in a saucepan, add 1 cup milk and bring to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for 5 mins, then beat in 2 eggs one at a time. Using your fingers, mix in half the parsley, then form into 16 dumplings.
To finish, remove the beef from the stock and dice. Pour the stock through a strainer. Discard the vegetables and return the stock to the pan. Bring to a boil, add the dumplings, asparagus and remaining carrots and cook for 5 mins. Add the egg cubes to the soup along with the peas and beef and cook for 5 mins. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley.