Chicken and Dumplings

Out of the world Chicken and dumplings.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 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
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 3 1⁄2 cups  low-salt chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup apple cider or 1⁄2 cup  juice

• For Dumplings

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 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.