Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson's Beef Shank Broth with Markkloesschen (Bone-Marrow Dumplings)

Beef broth

3 to 4 lb beef shank

(sliced in 2- to 3-inch pieces, osso buco cut)

5 litres chicken stock

2 onions

3 carrots

4 stalks celery

1 small celeriac

1 small leek

4 cloves garlic

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup dried tomatoes

5 sprigs thyme

1 tbsp black peppercorns

5 bay leaves

1 bunch parsley stems

Lovage (optional)

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Nutmeg, to taste

Maggi Seasoning (optional)

Dumplings

¼ cup rendered bone marrow fat

1½ cups breadcrumbs (grated old bread is best for flavour)

2½ cups semolina flour

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp black pepper

1¾ tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp curry

1 tsp marjoram

¼ cup milk

2 whole eggs

1 cup parsley (plus more for finishing)

Push marrow out of the beef shank bones and reserve.

Lightly salt and pepper shank, and roast in a pan on the stove over medium heat, until nicely caramelized. Place in a stock pot.

Roast vegetables in batches in the same pan with a small amount of oil until well caramelized, then add to pot. Add remaining spices and chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cook until shank is tender (about 2 to 3 hours). Strain off stock and reserve shank meat.

Season soup with salt, freshly cracked pepper and nutmeg. If you're feeling extra German, a little bit of Maggi Seasoning will help here too. Place shredded shank back into broth once seasoned.

To make the markkloesschen, combine all dry dumpling ingredients. Add marrow fat and mix well to combine. In a separate bowl, blend parsley, egg and milk together until smooth. Add egg mixture to dry mix until a crumbly batter forms.

Form golf ball-sized dumplings, and test one by gently poaching in broth ( just below a simmer). It is finished when it floats.

Serve with a giant pile of chopped parsley at the table to add at the last minute. Serves 6-8.

This was always a family dish for me. My grandfather would make it and we would all help, and after he passed away my mom carried on the tradition, and in making it together we would remember him. It's very near and dear to me; it tastes like heart and soul warming nostalgia. Making this dish can be an all-day process, from getting the bones and pushing out the marrow to render (heating in pot until liquid), making the broth with the shanks and vegetables, making the dumplings, rolling them with everyone's help, and then cooking them in the broth. It is one of my fondest food memories.— Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson, Published on Main, Vancouver