Deborah Madison's Brussels Sprouts and Mushroom Ragout

This tasty stew has been adapted from "Vegetarian Suppers" by Deborah Madison. This is one of my favorite recipes, primarily because of the dumplings which are delicious and sooo easy to make; they "make" the stew. The dumpling recipe can be used with other soups; however the amount of dumpling batter is generous, so you may not need to use the entire amount of batter.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• STEW

• 4  teaspoons olive oil
• 2  medium onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 3⁄4 lb  mixed mushrooms, sliced on the diagnal
• 3  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1  tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1⁄2 lemon
• 1  lb Brussels sprout, halved
• 1 1⁄2 cups  vegetable stock or 1 1⁄2 cups  mushroom stock

• Herb Dumplings

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 3  tablespoons canola oil
• 3  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped and mixed
• 3  tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped and mixed
• 1  egg, breaten

Directions

1. Add olive oil to a wide skillet and saute onions: add juice of one lemon ; add mushroom pieces to the skillet and brown.
2. Boil Brussels sprouts for 4 to 6 minutes, until almost tender; then drain and add them to the skillet and pour in the stock.
3. Turn off the heat and let the veggies stand while making the dumplings.
4. For the dumplings, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt, pour in the milk, oil, herbs and beaten egg and stir together quickly with a fork.
5. Add dumpling batter by spoonfuls to the ragout, making 12 small dumplings in all.
6. Discard excess dumpling batter.
7. Cover the pan with a tented foil, and bring everything to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Serve in soup plates with 3 dumplings per bowl.