Chicken and Pretzel Dumpling Soup With Kale

By MooK

Ingredients

• For the Pretzel Dumplings:
• 14 oz. dried pretzels about 9 cups
• 3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup white mushrooms, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram
• 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• For the Chicken Broth and Meat:
• 1 whole chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 gallon water
• For the Chicken & Pretzel Dumpling Soup With Kale:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 cups kale, stems removed and chopped into bite-size pieces
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup cooked chicken meat
• Pretzel dumplings
• 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram
• 1 tablespoon parsley chiffonade
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Step 1

1. For the Pretzel Dumplings, in a blender or food processor, process the pretzels until breadcrumb-like texture is reached. Combine 2 cups of the milk, pretzel crumbs, eggs, and flour in a large bowl. Mix to combine and allow to sit for 30 minutes. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and cook shallots and mushrooms until softened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add shallots and mushrooms to the pretzel mixture along with marjoram, parsley, cayenne, mustard powder, and nutmeg.

2. Fill a deep pot with salted water and bring to a simmer. Roll the pretzel mixture into 2 tablespoon-sized balls, about the size of a golf ball. Drop the balls into the simmering water and cook for 20-30 minutes, until soft and cooked through in the center (cut one in half to check for doneness).

3. For the Chicken Broth and Meat, combine chicken, carrot, onion, celery, thyme and water in a large pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Strain the liquid, return to pot and reduce down to 6 cups. Pick the meat from the chicken and discard the carcass. Reserve chicken meat and broth separately.

4. To finish, in a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 1 cup of the reserved chicken meat, pretzel dumplings, marjoram, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until chicken and dumplings are hot and serve immediately.