1

Make the mushroom stock. Once it’s simmering, bring a pot of water to a boil for the Brussels sprouts.

2

Heat the oil in a wide nonstick skillet. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until aromatic and nicely colored, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms and chop the herbs and garlic.

3

Once the onions are a rich color, raise the heat to high and add the mushrooms, herbs, and garlic to the pan. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are browned in places, 5 to 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.

4

Add salt to the boiling water, then the Brussels sprouts along with any loose leaves. Boil until nearly tender, 4 to 6 minutes, depending on size. Check by piercing them with a paring knife. Drain, then add them to the pan and pour in the mushroom stock. At this point you can turn off the heat and let the vegetables stand until you’re ready to make the dumplings.

5

For the dumplings, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, herbs, and egg and stir quickly together with a fork. Add the dumpling batter by spoonfuls to the ragout, making 12 small dumplings in all. You'll have extra batter, but don’t use it or the dish will be too bready. (It’s hard to make the batter in smaller amounts.) Cover the pan with tented foil, bring everything to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Serve in soup plates, with 3 dumplings in each bowl.