Elswets Creole Style Chicken Dumplings Recipes

Steps:

• For the soup: Place the chicken pieces and the backbones in a large pot and cover with 16 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and poach the chicken until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Use tongs to remove the chicken pieces and set aside to cool; discard the backbones. Once the chicken cools enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones, shred and roughly chop; set aside. Strain the chicken broth and keep warm.
• In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat, and stir in the carrots, garlic, celery, leeks, onions and poultry seasoning. Cook the vegetables until they begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes, then stir in the flour.
• Add the reserved chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the soup thickens slightly and vegetables soften, about 25 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and bring the soup back to a low simmer.
• For the dumplings: In a medium bowl, add the flour. Use two butter knives to cut in the milk, butter, baking powder, salt and eggs. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary. The dough should be moist but not too wet.
• Pull the dough into 1/4-cup pieces and place directly in the simmering soup; cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 4 minutes). Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook this Creole sauce 3 minutes longer, stirring often.
• Arrange the chicken breasts in an 8 x 11 inch baking dish. Pour the Creole sauce over the chicken.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and white throughout.

Steps:

• Chicken: Place chicken pieces into a large pot. Add water, salt and pepper and bay leaf to the chicken pieces, enough to cover the chicken.
• Partially cover your pot and cook on medium until tender. Simmer gently, do not allow the pot to boil! The chicken will take 3 or 4 hours. When tender, remove the pieces from the broth, and keep warm.
• Gravy: There should be 3-4 cups of broth in the pot. Skim off the fat and measure the broth. For each cup of skimmed broth, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons of the fat with the same amount of flour.
• Stir several spoonfuls of the hot broth into the fat-flour mixture, and then pour the mixture back into the broth in the kettle.
• Cook the gravy until it is slightly thickened. Add sage, rosemary, and thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Dumplings: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the egg, add the milk to the egg, and mix with the dry ingredients.
• Drop by spoonfuls into the simmering chicken gravy, or roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 1 inch by 2-inch pieces and drop into the gravy.
• Cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes. The cover must NOT be removed, while the dumplings are cooking.
• Debone the chicken, add back to pot. Add white wine and Gumbo File (ground sassafras leaves), stir and let heat for 8 minutes.
• Serve.

Steps:

• Cut chicken backs, necks and wings into 1-inch pieces.
• For the broth: in a large pot, combine the chicken, onions, water, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Discard the chicken backs, necks, and wings. When the chicken pieces have cooled, remove the meat from the bones in chunks and set aside. Discard the skin and bones. Strain the broth and discard the vegetables.
• Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the butter and milk to a simmer. Stir the butter and milk mixture into the dry ingredients with a fork and stir until the mixture just comes together. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into long strips 1-inch wide. Transfer to a large plate or baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In the cleaned Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden-brown, 3 to 4 minutes. While whisking, add the wine, the reserved chicken broth, Essence, and thyme. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes, then add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 15 minutes. Add the reserved chicken meat, heavy cream, and peas. Season with salt (if necessary), and add black pepper, to taste.
• Place the dumplings on top of the chicken mixture and gently stir into the hot liquid. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Gently stir in the parsley. Serve in large soup bowls.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.