Maud's Chicken and Dumplings - Head 'Em Straight

Serves: 4

Heat oven to 400° F.

Ingredients:

4 chicken drumsticks

4 chicken thighs

1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half, lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Sauce:

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

1 cup washed, peeled and diced carrot

1 cup peeled and diced onion

1/2 cup washed and thinly sliced celery

2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 bay leaves

5 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup cold water

1 cup fresh shelled English peas

Dumplings:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground dried thyme

3/4 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

Garnish:

Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, washed and minced

Directions:

Leave skin on chicken (It can be removed after baking, if desired.).

Rub chicken pieces on all sides with cut side of garlic clove.

Sprinkle with black pepper.

Place chicken, skin side up on a rack in an ovenproof casserole dish.

Bake until done (165 ° F.) approximately 35-45 minutes.

Sift flour, baking powder, black pepper, salt and thyme into a large bowl.

Whisk dry ingredients to thoroughly incorporate.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Combine cream and butter in a small bowl and whisk all to incorporate thoroughly.

Pour cream and butter into the well in the dry ingredients.

Use a fork to stir the cream and butter into the dry ingredients until dough is moistened and all of the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients. If necessary, add additional cream, a tablespoon at a time, until moistened.

Allow dough to rest 15 minutes.

Bring water to boil in a small saucepan.

Add English peas.

Lower heat. When water slows to a simmer, cover the saucepan.

Continue to simmer for 6 – 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the saucepan to go dry. Test peas to be certain they are tender and sweet. If not, simmer a few more minutes, until done.

Drain peas and reserve.

Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a wide Dutch oven.

Drop dough by single, heaping, rounded tablespoons, one at a time, into the simmering broth.

Cook’s Note: Rotate the Dutch oven a quarter turn before adding the next dough ball so that each dumpling has time to cook before the next raw dough ball is placed next ot it. This helps to keep the dumplings from sticking together.

Place the lid on the Dutch oven. Simmer for 15 minutes. Test a dumpling to see if it is done. If not, simmer an additional 3 minutes or more until cooked through.

Add peas to sauce. Simmer 3 more minutes.

Place dumplings and sauce in a tureen and cover.

Place baked chicken on a platter.

Garnish both with Italian parsley.

Serve.

Maud’s Chicken and Dumplings

Serves: 4

Heat oven to 400° F.

Ingredients:

4 chicken drumsticks

4 chicken thighs

1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut in half, lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Sauce:

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

1 cup washed, peeled and diced carrot

1 cup peeled and diced onion

1/2 cup washed and thinly sliced celery

2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 bay leaves

5 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup cold water

1 cup fresh shelled English peas

Dumplings:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground dried thyme

3/4 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

Garnish:

Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, washed and minced

Directions:

Leave skin on chicken (It can be removed after baking, if desired.).

Rub chicken pieces on all sides with cut side of garlic clove.

Sprinkle with black pepper.

Place chicken, skin side up on a rack in an ovenproof casserole dish.

Bake until done (165 ° F.) approximately 35-45 minutes.

Sift flour, baking powder, black pepper, salt and thyme into a large bowl.

Whisk dry ingredients to thoroughly incorporate.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Combine cream and butter in a small bowl and whisk all to incorporate thoroughly.

Pour cream and butter into the well in the dry ingredients.

Use a fork to stir the cream and butter into the dry ingredients until dough is moistened and all of the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients. If necessary, add additional cream, a tablespoon at a time, until moistened.

Allow dough to rest 15 minutes.

Bring water to boil in a small saucepan.

Add English peas.

Lower heat. When water slows to a simmer, cover the saucepan.

Continue to simmer for 6 – 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the saucepan to go dry. Test peas to be certain they are tender and sweet. If not, simmer a few more minutes, until done.

Drain peas and reserve.

Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a wide Dutch oven.

Drop dough by single, heaping, rounded tablespoons, one at a time, into the simmering broth.

Cook’s Note: Rotate the Dutch oven a quarter turn before adding the next dough ball so that each dumpling has time to cook before the next raw dough ball is placed next ot it. This helps to keep the dumplings from sticking together.

Place the lid on the Dutch oven. Simmer for 15 minutes. Test a dumpling to see if it is done. If not, simmer an additional 3 minutes or more until cooked through.

Add peas to sauce. Simmer 3 more minutes.

Place dumplings and sauce in a tureen and cover.

Place baked chicken on a platter.

Garnish both with Italian parsley.

Serve.