For soul-satisfying comfort, nothing equals a fragrant bowl of old-fashioned chicken and dumplings. The making is almost as comforting as the eating, too, as there's also nothing to equal the rich aroma of chicken slowly simmering its way to perfection.
Dumpling lovers are divided into two camps: those who like and know them biscuit-like fat, round and fluffy as a down pillow and those who favor them flat, noodle-like and firm to the bite. The dumplings in this recipe, which are known to Southerners, are the latter. The dough for both kinds is pretty much the same — it's really just a basic biscuit dough. The difference lies in the way that dough is handled.
For biscuit-like dumplings, the dough needs a correspondingly lighter treatment, only about 10 to 15 of the folds described in the recipe until it is just smooth. It's then rolled it out a little thicker than 1/8-inch, cut into smaller, 1-inch pieces, and allowed to sit for a minute or two until the dumplings begin to rise. They're then gently stirred into the broth a few at a time.
For the sleek, flat, noodle-like dumplings that many Southerners crave and sometimes inelegantly but descriptively refer to as "slipperies", the dough will need at least 15 to 20 folds. It's then rolled as thin as piecrust, cut into small pieces and cooked at once. It's a delicate balancing act: if the dough is over-worked, the dumplings will be dense and chewy; if it's not worked enough, they'll be insubstantial and won't hold together.
Chicken and Dumplings
For the Chicken and Broth:
5 pounds chicken parts
1 large yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
3 quarter-sized slices fresh ginger
1 large sprig each parsley, sage and thyme
2 bay leaves
2 quarts water or chicken broth
For Finishing the Broth:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
1 tablespoon each fresh, chopped fresh sage and thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
For the Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1 cup whole milk buttermilk
To prepare the chicken and broth, place all ingredients in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Bring almost to a boil, lower heat, cover partially and simmer until chicken is tender, about 2 hours.
Let chicken cool in broth; remove and strain broth, discarding solids. Return broth to pot and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until it is reduced by one-quarter. Meanwhile, skin and bone chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Skim excess fat from broth and cool. Cover and refrigerate chicken and broth until ready to use. You can prepare chicken and broth up to 2 days ahead. Skim solidified fat from top of broth before using.
To finish broth, melt butter in Dutch oven. Add onion and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion is beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon parsley along with sage, thyme and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring it to a simmer; reduce heat to medium.
To make dumplings, sift flour, soda, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut in lard or butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center, pour in buttermilk and quickly stir until dry ingredients are all incorporated.
Lightly flour a smooth work surface and turn dough out onto it. With lightly floured hands, gently push dough away from you to flatten it. Fold it in half, gently pat it out ½-inch thick, and give it a quarter turn. Repeat until dough is smooth and cohesive, about 20 folds — a little more than you would work biscuit dough. Divide it into 3 equal lumps. Lightly flour and roll one lump out to the thickness of piecrust, about 1/8-inch. Quickly cut into 1-inch wide strips, 2-inches long. Drop dumplings into broth; repeat with remaining dough.
Simmer 5 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more, until dumplings are cooked through and firm but tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle into a large bowl or individual soup plates and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Serves 8.
Per serving: 370 calories, 15g fat, 30g prot., 287g carbs., 1g fiber, 1070mg sodium.
Look for Relish magazine, celebrating America's love of food, in month in The Pocono Record. For more Relish recipes, log on to www.relishmag.com.
