Leberknödel — Germany

Leberknödel are hand-shaped dumplings of ground liver bound with bread and egg, cooked by poaching in broth or by pan-frying, and eaten across German-speaking Central Europe. Beef liver is the usual base, though several German regions substitute or mix in pork. In the Palatinate, pork liver commonly replaces beef, and the dumplings are more often fried in lard than poached; once shaped, they are pan-fried until a crust forms on the outside. Rather than being served in soup, the Palatinate version is plated as a main course, typically alongside sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. Stale bread rolls, soaked in milk, are combined with the ground liver, eggs, chopped parsley, and spices such as nutmeg or marjoram, then worked into a batter firm enough to shape by hand. The mixture is formed into small dumplings using two water-dipped spoons and fried in lard over moderate heat until browned on all sides and cooked through. Bavarian kitchens more often poach the same batter in beef broth and serve it as Leberknödelsuppe, so the same dish appears at the table either as a soup starter or, in the Palatinate style described here, as a fried main course with sauerkraut; the frying gives the dumplings a firmer crust and lets them keep a little longer than the poached version.