Scheinehaxen mit Semmelknödel or Pork hock with bread dumplings

Now you have a bit of a tow part to this recipe today fist I will do the pork hocks. Could not be easier really just poach them but in beer not water, that is what make them so different.

1 small leek

1 carrot

2 pork hocks

4 peppercorns

1lt/2pt Beer, larger

3 celery sticks

9 onions

Salt

2 tablespoons cooking fat

450g/17oz dry German bread

180ml/8floz milk

1 teaspoon Thyme

1 teaspoon Marjoram

1 teaspoon Sage

3 Eggs

Now to start with you have to cook the hock, so get a big pan and place in the pan the two hocks. Fist sort out your veg keep 8 of the onions and 2 of the celery sticks back, then prep the leek, celery, carrot and onion of the hocks. Make sure that all you vegetables are nice and clean, especially the leeks chop and dice them up and add them to the pot, along with the peppercorns. Now add the beer and top up with water if you have to so the pork is covered. Then bring to the boil then simmer for about 2 to 3 hours until the pork is nice and tender.

Now for the Semmelknödel or bread dumplings. Now to be authentic you do need that good dark German bread or Rye bread that has gone stale. Star by soaking the bread in the milk. While the bread is soaking chop and gently sauté 1 of the onions and the rest of the celery.  Once the bread has soaked for about 15 minutes then add the sautéed vegetables and the herbs and mix together. Finally whisk the eggs and add them and work that all together.  Form small ball and let them set.  

  

Now once your pork is cooked take the rest of the onions and in a frying pan with some of the cooking stock sweat down the sliced onions. Then in a small pan strain some for the cooking stock and poach the dumplings. Now do not cook the dumpling to long or they will just fall apart and you will have a sort of bread soup.

Finally lay the cooked onions on a plate with a hock on top and garnish with the dumplings.