One Clear Dot

It’s been rainy and chilly all day, so indulge me as I put together some comfort food. I always go to Chicken and Dumplings when I think of the ultimate comfort food. My great-grandmother was a coal miner’s wife in Souther West Virginia and she never did use a recipe. SHe was the queen of dumplings and biscuits and other such things, but replicating her dishes meant a lot of guesswork. My mom and I sat down and we think we have it all worked out.

My great-grandmother would buy a “stewing hen” (an old laying hen too tough for anything but long cooking). This was cooked and well salted. To the boiling broth of the hen she added ingredients known only to her — she was famous for this. We have settled on this recipe, as without her secrets her dish could never be duplicated.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 large frying chicken (4 pounds or so)
celery tops
one small onion (diced)
1- 2 carrots
chicken bouillon for more flavor
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 Tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup chicken stock
2/3 cup buttermilk

Cook chicken with celery, onion, and carrots gently, no boiling, for an hour or so. Chicken should fall off bones. Separate chicken from broth, removing meat from bones. Strain broth. You may chill the broth so that fat rises to the top and can be skimmed off and thrown away.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Cut shortening into dry mixture with fork until it forms a course meal. Stir in chicken stock and buttermilk to make stiff dough. Knead 5 or 6 times. Wrap in plastic bag and chill.

Roll 1/8 inch thick. Use enough flour on surface so that dough does not stick. Cut into 4-inch by 1-inch squares.

Bring original chicken stock to simmer. Drop dough pieces into stock one at a time. Stir often to separate. Cook gently for 10-12 minutes until firm but tender. Add reserved chicken meat. Best if left to sit at least an hour before serving.

Slick Dumplings

An alternate recipe for chicken and dumplings as found in Mountain Country Cooking.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted shortening or chicken fat
1/2 cup chicken stock, or water
instant flour - to coat after rolling out so dumplings will not stick together.

Posted on March 6th, 2008 by onecleardot
Filed under: Home Life