Yotam Ottolenghi's Parsnip Dumplings in Broth

I learnt a valuable lesson when I made this for my sister (ex-chef) and that's not to add water to vegetable stock after its been soaking up delicious flavours for hours, hence watering down the flavour and making it taste...well, like water. I don't know why I did it, clearly all logic had left the kitchen. 

Ottolenghi adds prunes so here I was expecting gasps of 'what's your secret ingredient' - not hmmm the broth is a bit bland [insert very sad face]. So while my ex-chef sister kindly explained stock making #101 I was already planning when I was going to make it next, which I did and it was divine [insert very happy face]. 

Another tip for stock is to add the hard rind from cheese, haven't tried prunes and rind together though so guess what Trevor, we're having this third time in a row :)

INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

Broth

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into batons
• 5 celery sticks, cut into chunks
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 large onion, quartered
• ½ celeriac, peeled and cut roughly (I left this out second time around & didn't notice)
• 7 garlic cloves, peeled
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 small bunches flat-leaf parsley
• 10 black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 prunes

For the dumplings

• 200g floury potato (1 small), peeled and diced
• 200g parsnip, peeled and diced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 30g butter
• 60g self-raising flour 
• 50g semolina
• 1 free range egg
• Salt and white pepper

Method

1. To make the broth, sauté the vegetables until lightly coloured. Add the herbs, spices and prunes, cover with cold water and simmer for up to two hours, skimming and adding water as needed
2. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pan and set aside for reheating.
3. For the dumplings, boil the potato, parsnip and garlic in salted water until soft. Drain, and sauté in butter to remove moisture. Mash, whisk in the flour, semolina, egg and a little seasoning, cover and refrigerate for 30-60mins.
4. Reheat the broth to a simmer and taste for seasoning.
5. In another pan, bring some salted water to a rolling simmer and using a hot teaspoon, drop in small dumplings. Cook until they rise to the top, leave for 30 seconds, then transfer to the hot broth, garnish with parsley and serve. Enjoy!