In truth, I’d rather be writing about summer salads. In truth, I’d rather be in Hawaii. But like it or not, we’re smack dab in the middle of a bitterly cold winter. And I only have eyes for … comfort food.
Topping my list of “security blanket” foods right now, trumping the likes of such hearty stalwarts as hearty beef stew or meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, is a dish I’ve already made a half dozen times this month.
Here’s another winner, folks: inexpensive, uncomplicated and just right for this uncertain time in a faltering economy. Try it and you’ll know why I just can’t seem to get enough of Chicken & Dumplings.
Use a whole cut-up chicken, or even better, just use the thighs, which are much easier to handle. The success of this dish really depends on the dumplings, which must be started just minutes before you add them to the stew. Most important, for light, tender and fluffy dumplings that will hold together be sure to use warmed – “not hot” – whole milk.
Frank Chlumsky, former executive chef of Philander’s restaurant in Oak Park, teaches in Chicago at Kendall College’s School of Culinary Arts. Frank lives in Forest Park, where he cooks for pleasure.
Serves eight
For the stew:
5 pounds chicken thighs, bone in, with skin
To taste salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter – or reserved chicken fat
1 large onion cut in small dice
4 carrots medium dice
3 celery ribs medium dice
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup vermouth, dry white wine or sherry
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon leaf thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen green peas (unthawed)
½ bunch chopped parsley
For the dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup WHOLE milk
3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat or unsalted melted butter
Pat the chicken thighs with paper towels and season with salt & pepper
In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable over high heat just until smoking
Add half of the thighs, skin side down and brown well on both sides over medium heat
Remove thighs to a plate, pour off the remaining chicken fat and reserve
Raise the temperature back to high heat and brown the remaining chicken thighs
Pour off and reserve the chicken fat
Add the butter to the pot and sweat onions, carrots and celery until they soften
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute
Mix in the wine, chicken broth and cream
Add the thyme and bay leaf
Add the chicken and accumulated juices, cover and simmer for 1 hour
Remove the chicken from the stew, allow to cool, remove the skin and discard
Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, and add back to the stew
In a bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt
Heat the milk and chicken fat (or butter) to slightly warmer than room temperature
Using a wooden spoon, stir the milk & fat mixture into the flour and mix to smooth dough
Bring the stew back to a simmer and add the frozen peas and parsley
Using a 2 tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, drop golf ball-size dumplings over the top of the stew, leaving a small space between dumplings
Cover the pot and cook over low heat until the dumplings double in size, about 15 minutes
Serve to your heart’s content!