Bone Marrow Dumplings in Consommé
Marrow dumplings in consommé
Photo by Melissa Schneider.
I still remember the first time I made bone marrow dumplings, an idea from the Austrio-Hungarian cookbook East of Paris. I forgot to add eggs to bind the dumpling mixture, and the pretty balls of bread crumbs and bone marrow disintegrated into the consommé I had made, transforming the crystal-clear liquid into a muddy broth.
When I spotted marrow bones at Prather Ranch's farmers' market stall, I decided to climb back on that horse, even if the bones came from a cow. I bought two packages and scraped the pink, chalk-like substance from one set of frozen bones before placing them in the stockpot. The second set awaits an ogreish feast of marrow-sucking straight from roasted bones.
The dumplings came together quickly. I sliced stale bread into cubes, sautéed them in butter, and puréed the croutons in my food processor. I added the bone marrow, the eggs—don't forget the eggs—and seasoned with minced carrot tops, pepper, and salt. The thick paste looked promising, but I decided to cook the dumplings in salted water instead of the consommé, just in case.
When you poach dumplings, kitchen wisdom says to remove them from the water shortly after they float to the surface, buoyed aloft by the steam of vaporized water inside the dough's air pockets. These dumplings sprang to the top of the pot in 20 seconds or so, hinting at the airiness we later noticed as they melted on our tongue in a warm explosion. The marrow added richness to the morsels, and the lightly cooked celery and carrots added crunch. Cheddar cheese melted on toast rounded out our simple evening meal.
Wine Notes
It's hard to pair soup with wine, because the subtle flavors disappear under the onslaught of sensations that wine provides: acidity, tannins, and aromas. But this dish, with its meaty consommé, crisp vegetables, rich marrow dumplings, and toasted cheese side, can stand up for itself as long as the wine is restrained. In this case, the dish has such a strong tie to a European culture—Austria—that I looked for regional wines that have evolved alongside the cuisine. I chose a Burgenland Blaufränckish. It was a lean wine, not lush, with its own subtle flavors. Low alcohol kept the wine light, so it wouldn't overpower the soup, which I tarted up with red wine vinegar to give it a touch of acidity.
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