Beef with Dill Sauce and Dumplings

For the beef, cut onions in half and roast cut sides in a large dry frying pan.

Peel and slice carrots. Add carrots, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns and salt to pan with onions.

Rinse meat and add to pan with 2-3 liters (approximately 8-12 cups) cold water. Bring to a boil, uncovered, skimming foam if necessary. Cover pan and simmer over low heat 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

For the dumplings, remove crusts from bread, cut into cubes and soak in hot milk. Separate eggs and beat butter and salt into yolks until creamy. Mix soaked bread into egg yolk mixture and let stand about 10 minutes.

Scald a large kitchen towel in boiling water and wring out. Boil a large saucepan of water with 2 tablespoons salt. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into bread mixture. Grease kitchen towel with melted butter. Form dumpling dough into a log 6-7 cm (approximately 2 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches) thick and set in center of greased towel. Roll dough in towel and tie ends closed with kitchen twine. Lower wrapped dough into boiling water and simmer until done, about 40 minutes.

Remove beef from pan and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Strain pan juices, measuring about 600 ml (approximately 2 1/2 cups) for the gravy.

For the dill sauce, rinse dill, shake dry and chop finely. Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour. Deglaze pan with broth and continue whisking so no lumps form. Pour in cream, stir in dill and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer dill sauce 5-8 minutes over medium heat.