MUSHROOM SOUP:

3 to 4 mushrooms
3 or 4 shallots or green onions, chopped
3 tbsp. butter
2 oz. smoked ham, minced
pinch of dried rosemary
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 (32 oz. ea.) boxes beef or chicken broth (Swanson)
salt, to taste

Cut the caps and stems of the mushrooms into small slices. In a sauté pan or skillet, sauté the shallots in the butter until translucent. Add the mushrooms, ham, rosemary and parsley. Sprinkle in the flour and stir in the broth. Adjust the taste by adding salt. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

DUMPLINGS:

3 tbsp. minced onion
4 tbsp. butter
3 cups stale French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 to 1 cup milk or half & half
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten slightly
about 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. flour
salt, to taste

In a saucepan sauté the onion in butter until translucent. Add the bread cubes, mixing them with the onions and butter. Remove the bread mixture to a mixing bowl and add the milk, parsley, and nutmeg. Let it stand about 10 minutes. Be careful not to get the bread too wet.

Add the eggs and salt and knead with your hands. Add the flour gradually until the mixture holds together and forms a ball. Moisten your hands with water and form the mixture into round balls.

Gently place the dumplings in a large amount of boiling salted water. Cook them gently over medium heat, occasionally turning them with a slotted spoon for about 10 minutes, or until the balls float to the surface. Drain the dumplings.

Divide dumplings among the soup bowls and pour the hot mushroom soup over them.

Submitted by: RP