The Comfort Of A Dumpling

It's been raining for an age. Well, three days on the trot.

Don't get me wrong, once indoors I love to hear the rain pelt down.

Having got absolutely drenched by the weather on Friday afternoon, my mind turned to something warming to eat.

Chicken Casserole & Dumplings. The very thing.

Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall

This will be enough for two or for one with healthy leftovers.

2 Chicken Thighs (de-boned or not, you decide. If bone in, increase the cooking time by 10 minutes)

1 Onion sliced

3/4 Garlic Cloves peeled & left whole

100g Mushrooms of your choice halved or quartered

2 Carrots peeled & chopped into chunks

1tbsp Plain Flour

Fresh Thyme Leaves as many as you fancy

500ml Hot Chicken Stock

1 Leek trimmed & cut roughly

For the Dumplings (this will make four)

125g Self-Raising Flour

60g Cold Butter diced

Sprinkling of Fresh or Dried Herbs (Chives, Oregano, Thyme, all nice to use)

Oven 190C/170C/Gas 5

Season the chicken & in a lightly oiled pan fry for 10-11 minutes turning occasionally until both sides are browned 

Set aside to a warm plate

A little more oil into your pan ready now for the onion, garlic cloves & mushrooms to fry for 5-6 minutes

Pop them into a casserole dish before adding the carrots, the flour & the thyme

Toss everything together before pouring in the hot stock a little at a time & stirring well

Chicken joins the party in the casserole dish

Lid on & into the oven for 35 minutes (de-boned) 45 minutes (bone in)

Now to start on the dumplings 

The flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl together with the cubed, cold butter

Hands in (sanitised, obviously), & rub together until your mix looks & feels like breadcrumbs

Add around 50-60ml of cold water & stir with a palette knife

Bring your dough together before dividing & rolling into 4 balls

Tell them you love them

Take the casserole out of the oven & add the leeks & dumplings (resting on top) before returning to the oven for another 15 minutes

I ate this with some broccoli & broad beans. This meal made me smile. A lot.

It was still chucking it down outside. 

AMM