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Edited on Sun Nov-09-03 02:10 PM by jchild
Chicken and Dumplins. Bar none--better than gumbo, fried chicken, or black-eyed peas (although the peas make a good side dish for them :-) ).
It doesn't matter what tragedy befalls a Southerner, from death in the family to divorce, or what good things are going on, from the birth of a baby to a family reunion, someone is SURE to show up with a batch of chicken and dumplins. Some people KNOW how do make them, some don't. I of course am in the former group. :-)
I made a batch last night for a family whose matriarch died. Today--indeed, right NOW--I am making another batch for my son and dad.
A story can be told about ANYTHING, so here are two of my chicken and dumplin stories.
First story: A couple with whom I am friends visited last winter, and I cooked up some chicken and dumplins for dinner. The husband RAVED about my C&Ds, to the point that he was scarfing them down and saying, "These are the best damned thing I have EVER eaten. Oh my GOD you have to tell Jane here how to make them. I have never eaten anything so good in my life!" A few minutes later, the wife was sitting in the car demanding that he take her home. To this day, she is cool towards me. Husband still raves about the dumplins. So, the moral of the story is that chicken and dumplins not only can heal broken hearts, but can also cause intense feelings of jealousy and envy :-)
Second story: A guy I was dating several years back said that we needed a code word for hanky panky when we were in a large group of people and wanted to leave. He chose "chicken and dumplins." So how'd this work out, you ask? We would be with a group of friends, and he would say, "Man, I feel like some chicken and dumplins." Everyone would say, "Where ya gonna get chicken and dumplins at this time of night?!" He and I would look at each other and snicker...eventually, our code word got out, so now everyone in the group began using it as a code word for knockin' boots. :evilgrin:
At any rate, here is how I make 'em. Always turn out delicious. Share your recipes, too.
RECIPE FOR CHICKEN AND DUMPLINS:
Start by making your broth:
In a LARGE, covered pot or pressure cooker, boil for 45 minutes:
1 large chicken 1 large peeled onion 2 carrots garlic to taste 4 stems of celery Salt Pepper Water to cover
After chicken is done, you should have a really nice broth. Strain it to remove the chicken and other items, then put the broth back on to boil. (Forget all that chilling-and-removing-the-fat stuff; if you're eating chicken and dumplin's you ought not concern yourself with fat or carb grams!) You may need to add a little water if the broth is really concentrated.
While the broth is coming back up to boil, debone the chicken. Now it will be really hot on the fingertips, so try using two forks instead: one to hold the chicken in place, and one to strip the meat from the bone. Place the meat in a bowl and cover with a damp papertowel to keep it from drying out.
When the broth is boiling, add whatever dumplins you prefer. Some people make homemade, some people used canned biscuits rolled out flat and cut into strips, some people use flour tortillas cut into strips. I use two packages of Mary B's Open Kettle Dumplins and I swear by them. You can buy them in the bread freezer at most grocers.
Ok, so your broth is boiling, you want to add 1 stick of butter at this point. Bring it back to boil and add your dumplins one at a time, making sure that if the broth cools down, you let it come back up to boil before adding more dumplins. Once you have all the dumplins in the pot, turn your heat down to medium and stir frequently--let it slow-boil for 30-40 minutes, uncovered. Warning: be sure to stir, as dumplins have a tendency to stick together and to the bottom of the pot. You may need to add water (or canned broth if you perfer) during this process.
After the dumplins are done, you will want to thicken the broth. Here's how I do it.
Start with about 3/4 cup of cornstarch, add 1/2 cup of milk and whisk to get rid of lumps. Then, take about 1/4 cup of broth off the top of the pot and add it to the mixture to temper it so that it won't turn into lumps when you pour it into the pot. Stir that really well and then add slowly to the pot. Stir the pot well, turn the heat down on low, and then add your deboned chicken.
Here is how I season the final pot: Fresh ground black pepper Salt to taste A dab of sugar--just a dab--you're not making a dessert A couple of dashes of nutmeg (I think this is the secret ingredient that makes them taste oh so good :-) ) A tiny dash of Tony C.--not too much, don't want them spicy.
If dumplins are too thick, thin with milk. IF too thin, thicken even more with the cornstarch mixture above.
Now, instead of serving right up, you want to turn the heat so low that it is barely on. Let this mixture stay on the heat--not at a boil or even at a simmer--with the lid on for about 30 minutes, during which time you stir frequently. After 30 minutes, turn the heat off, and let the mixture just sit and season--the dumplins will become so soft they will melt in your mouth if you do this--this is when they are absorbing liquids from the stew.
Serve'em up however you like. I like them with garlic bread or hot-water cornbread on the side. Some people add even MORE carbs and serve 'em over rice. It's all up to you.
Edited because I am just stupid sometimes :-)
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