Recipe: Chicken and Cornmeal Dumplings with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

CHICKEN AND CORNMEAL DUMPLINGS WITH SWEET POTATOES AND BACON

"Sweet potatoes stand in for the carrots and cornmeal is added to the dumpling recipe for a Southern style dish. Two slices of bacon cook along with the chicken to give the broth a salty smoky flavor."

FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 large roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds), rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces
2 slices bacon
1 large onion, cut into large chunks (not necessary to peel)
6 cups hot water
2 bay leaves
Salt
FOR THE VEGETABLES:
3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
FOR THE GRAVY:
4 tablespoons butter or chicken fat skimmed from strained stock
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons dry sherry or vermouth
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream (optional)
FOR THE DUMPLINGS AND FINISHING:
1 recipe Cornmeal Dumplings, shaped (click here for recipe)
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper

TO STEW THE CHICKEN:
Heat a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the hacked-up chicken pieces (wings, neck, and back), bacon, and onion chunks, saute until the onion softens and the chicken loses its raw color, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to cook until the chicken pieces give up most of their liquid, about 20 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium-high, add 6 cups of hot water, the chicken legs, thighs, and breasts, bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, then bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat, continue to simmer, partially covered, until the broth is flavorful and the chicken parts are just cooked through, about 20 minutes longer.

Remove the chicken parts and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from bones in 2 to 3- inch chunks. Strain the broth, discarding the hacked chicken pieces and the bacon. Skim and reserve the fat from the broth and set aside 4 cups of broth, reserving extra for another use. Wipe the Dutch oven clean with a paper towel.

TO STEAM THE VEGETABLES:
Meanwhile, bring 1/2-inch of water to a simmer in the cleaned Dutch oven fitted with a steamer basket. Add the celery and sweet potatoes, cover and steam until just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Wipe the Dutch oven dry.

TO MAKE THE GRAVY:
Heat the butter in the empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and thyme, cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually add the sherry, then the reserved 4 cups of chicken stock, simmer until the gravy thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the optional cream, the chicken, and the steamed vegetables, return to a simmer.

TO COOK THE DUMPLINGS:
Prepare the dumpling dough. Lay the formed dumplings on the surface of the chicken mixture, cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes for strip dumplings and 15 minutes for balls and biscuit rounds.

TO FINISH AND SERVE:
Gently stir in the peas and parsley. Adjust the seasonings, including generous amounts of salt and pepper. Ladle portions of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and serve immediately.

Makes 6-8 servings
Adapted from source: The Cook's Illustrated Complete Book of Poultry by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated