Chicken and Dumplings

I have mentioned, in the past, that I signed up for classes online at the Rouxbe Cooking School. At the time I signed up you could pay for one class at a time and pick and choose which one you wanted to take and if you only wanted it for a short time (which cost less) or for a life-time. Recently they changed their policy and now the individual classes cost a lot more or you can sign up for a life-time membership. I decided to sign up for the life-time membership. When you compare it to how much it would cost to go to a culinary school or even drive to Billings and take adult ed cooking classes - it is A LOT cheaper and with an online class you can learn at your own pace and at any time. I am on a waiting list until Sept. 2nd but I still have access to the classes I paid for before the change so I have been working on perfecting How to Make Stock. I made some chicken stock this last weekend that turned out pretty close to perfect, if I do say so myself. I used the stock to make Chicken and Dumplings with the following recipe.

Chicken and Dumplings

Step 1: Making and Cooking the Stock
6 lb chicken bones - (backs and necks)
cold water
3 ribs celery
3 carrots
3 onions
2 leeks
2 tsp whole, black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
10 to 12 stems fresh parsley
3 to 4 stems fresh thyme
small bunch celery leaves
To start the stock, rinse the bones under cold water and place them into a suitable-sized stock pot. Cover the bones with cold water by about 2 inches. Turn the heat to medium and slowly bring the bones to a simmer, making sure it doesn’t come to a boil.
In the meantime, chop the mirepoix (onions, leeks, celery and carrots) into about 1/2” to 3/4” -inch pieces.
After the stock has simmered for about 30 minutes, skim one more time before adding the mirepoix.
Let the stock gently simmer for another hour or so, skimming the surface as needed.
Then add the bouquet garni (peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley stems, fresh thyme and celery leaves), making sure to gently tuck it underneath the surface. Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Finishing the Stock
Once the stock has cooked for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours, you can strain it. First, skim off as much fat as possible from the surface. Then gently remove the solids and discard. Finally, strain the stock through a sieve lined with a piece of cheesecloth.
You can either use the stock immediately or cool it over an ice bath. Once cool, it can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or it can be portioned and frozen for several months.
Step 2: Preparing the Velouté Sauce
1 to 2 leeks
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
2 cloves garlic
9 tbsp unsalted butter
12 to 18 tbsp all-purpose flour - (see note)
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
kosher salt - (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper - (to taste)
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
First preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
To prepare your mise en place, cut the dark green part off of the leeks. Slice in half and wash thoroughly. Slice the leeks into 1/4” pieces. Cut the carrots and celery into medium dice. Note: You should have roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups of each. Mince the garlic.
Measure out the butter and flour. Note: The amount of flour used will produce a relatively thick sauce; however, if you want the sauce to be really thick, you can use up to 18 tbsp of flour. The roux will just be very thick.
Gather the bay leaves and thyme. Set aside.
Once the stock is cool, you can begin to make the sauce.
To make the sauce, heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium to medium-low heat. Add the butter, followed by the celery, carrots, leeks and a pinch of salt. Sweat until the leeks are translucent, about 10 minutes or so. Once softened, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Singer1 with the flour to make a roux. Stir to combine. Temper in the cold stock a bit at a time. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the bay leaves and thyme and let cook for about 10 to 15 minutes to cook off any starchy flavor. Stir often to prevent scorching. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the reserved chicken pieces and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, prepare the dumpling mixture .
Step 3: Making the

Dumplings

1/4 cup green onions
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
To prepare the dumpling mixture, finely mince the green onions.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add a bit of the buttermilk and blend again before adding the rest. Once fully mixed, add the minced green onions and blend to fully combine.
Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients over top. Quickly but gently fold the ingredients together until the flour is just moistened. Do not overmix.
Step 4: Finishing the Dish
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
Once the chicken has cooked for about 10 minutes, add the peas and continue to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cream.
Using 2 spoons, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into the hot sauce. The dumplings should cover the surface of the pot.
Cover and place into the oven for about 15 minutes to poach the dumplings. Once done, the dumplings should be puffy and firm to the touch.
To serve, spoon some of the chicken into a warmed bowl and top with one or two of the delicious dumplings.

1: Singer is a French term that refers to the sprinkling of flour over ingredients which have been cooked in fat. When combined with the fat, the two essentially form a roux (fat + flour = roux). The roux is then cooked for a few minutes before a liquid is added to make a soup or sauce. The liquid must be brought to a simmer so the roux can thicken the liquid and also to cook off the raw starch flavor. Print this post