Ingredients

- Serves 6

2KG raw chicken bones chopped (best get from your local butcher)

1 medium carrot

1 celery stick coarsely chopped

1 onion coarsely chopped

1 leek (white part only) chopped

1 whole garlic bulb cut in half

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp tomato puree

20 pieces of dried porcini

1 bay leaf

2 thyme sprigs

2 cloves

½ tsp coriander seeds

2 juniper berries

2 Knorr chicken stock pots

2.5 Litre water

For the dumplings 

75g Atora suet

150g self-raising flour

Few pinches of sea salt flakes

7-8 tbsps water  

To finish

200g mushrooms finely sliced

Fresh herbs of your choice finely sliced

Method

1. Place the raw chicken bones in a large casserole dish or saucepan. Add in the carrot, celery, onion, leek, garlic, soy sauce, tomato puree, porcini, bay leaves, thyme, cloves, coriander seeds and juniper berries. Add the stock pots and pour in the water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer for four hours. It will become clear like a consommé and amber in colour.
2. Meanwhile, make the dumplings so they are ready for when you require. Mix the suet with the flour and a pinch or two of salt flakes. Mix with enough water to make a pliable dough, taking into consideration they grow in size when cooked!
3. Drain the soup through a colander, return the liquid to the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. In a separate saucepan of gently simmering water, poach the dumplings for 20-25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
4. If you are using mushrooms, preheat the grill and place the mushrooms on a baking tray and place that tray on the floor of the grill. Grill for five minutes, turning the mushrooms once or twice.
5. Ladle the broth and the dumplings into soup bowls, then add the grilled mushrooms and herbs of your choice.

Delicious!