Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken parts
• 1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 6 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced thin crosswise and washed thoroughly (about 2 cups)
• 6 shallots, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
• 6 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2 celery ribs with leaves, sliced
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 3 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup apple cider or juice

• For dumplings:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons half-and-half

• 1 cup green peas, defrosted if frozen

Directions

Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off excess, and put on a rack.

In a large heavy kettle melt butter with oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides and brown chicken in batches (do not crowd), transferring it to a plate as done, about 5 minutes on each side.

Stir in leeks and shallots and cook 3 minutes, scraping the bottom and stirring occasionally. Stir in carrots, celery, bay leaf and thyme and cook 3 minutes. Stir in broth, cider, and chicken and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered partially, until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Make dumplings while chicken is cooking: Into a bowl sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt and stir in dill. With a fork stir in half-and-half until dough is just blended.

With a large soup spoon scoop out 12 dumplings and arrange over chicken mixture. Simmer chicken and dumplings, covered, 9 minutes. Sprinkle in peas and cook until dumplings are done, about 3 minutes more. (Dumplngs are done when a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.) Discard bay leaf.

Serves: 6