Chicken and Dumplings

Timothy J Higgins Eva's Note:

Out of the world Chicken and dumplings.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 4 lbs chicken parts
• 1 cup all-purpose flour , seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 leeks , sliced thin crosswise and washed thoroughly (white and pale green parts only)
• 6 shallots , sliced thin (about 1 cup)
• 6 carrots , peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
• 2 celery ribs , with leaves sliced
• 1 small bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme , crumbled
• 3 ½ cups low-salt chicken broth
• ½ cup apple cider or ½ cup juice

For Dumplings

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 cup green peas , defrosted if frozen

Directions:

1. Dredge chicken parts in seasoned flour, shaking off excess, and put on a rack.
2. In a large heavy kettle melt butter with oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides and brown chicken in batches (do not crowd), transferring it to a plate as done, about 5 minutes on each side.
3. Stir in leeks and shallots and cook 3 minutes, scraping the bottom and stirring occasionally. Stir in carrots, celery, bay leaf, and thyme and cook 3 minutes. Stir in broth, cider, and chicken and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered partially, until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Make dumplings while chicken is cooking:.
5. Into a bowl sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt and stir in dill. With a fork stir in half-and-half until dough is just blended.
6. With a large soup spoon scoop out 12 dumplings and arrange over chicken mixture. Simmer chicken and dumplings, covered, 9 minutes. Sprinkle in peas and cook until dumplings are done, about 3 minutes more. (Dumplings are done when a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.) Discard bay leaf.