Stewed chicken with parsley dumplings+

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 large Frying chicken (3 1/2 to 4 lbs.) cut into serving pieces
¼ cup Flour
⅓ cup Vegetable oil
1 large Onion, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/4\" rounds
6 cups Chicken stock, fresh or canned
2 cups Unsifted flour
4 teaspoons Double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ cup Fresh parsley, finely
¼ cup Cider vinegar
1 Celery stalk, including the green leaves, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
1 medium Bay leaf1/4
¼ teaspoon Dry sage, crumbled
2 teaspoons Salt
Freshly ground black pepper chopped
2 tablespoons Vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2\" bits
1 cup Milk

Directions

CHICKEN

DUMPLINGS

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the flour in a paper bag, add the chicken, and shake vigorously to coat the pieces evenly.

In a heavy 4 to 5 qt. casserole or Dutch oven at least 10 inches in diameter, heat the oil over medium heat until a light haze forms above it. Brown 3 or 4 pieces of chicken at a time, starting them skin side down, and turning them frequently with tongs. Regulate the heat so that the pices color richly and evenly without burning. As they brown, transfer them to a plate.

Drop the onion slices into the fat remaining in the casserole and stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes. when the onions are soft and transluscent but not brown, return the chicken and the liquid that has accumulated around it to the casserole. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, celery, bay leaf, sage, 2 teaspoons of salt and a few grindings of pepper, and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat ot low, cover partially and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the bird is almost tender and its thigh shows only the slightest resistance when pierced deeply with the point of a small sharp knife. Pick out and discard the celery and bay leaf.

Meanwhile, prepare the dumpling batter in the following fashion: Combine the four, baking powder, 1 ts. of salt and the parsley in a deep bowl. Add the vegetable shortening and with your fingertips, rub the flour and fat together until they look like flakes of coarse meal. Add the milk and beat vigorously with a spoon until the batter is smooth.

when the chicken has cooked its allotted time, drop the dumpling mixture on top by the tablespoonful. Cover the casserole tightly and simmer undisturbed for about 10 minutes longer. The dumplings are done when they are puffed and fluffy and a cake tester inserted in the center of a dumpling comes out clean.

With a slotted spoon remove the dumplings and place them on a plate.

Transfer the stewed chicken to a heated bowl or a deep platter, then arrange the dumplings on top. Serve at once.

From "American Cooking: The Eastern Heartland" Foods of the World of the Time Life series

MM format courtesy Mary Riemerman Submitted By MARY RIEMERMAN On 10-09-95

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