You make dumplings about the way you make drip biscuits, but cooking them in steam gives a different look and taste. The rules for producing perfect dumplings are simple. This is all you have to do:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ΒΌ cup shortening
- 1 cup milk
Method
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Lightly mix in milk with a fork to make a soft dough. Stir as little as possible.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of dough on top of chicken or meat. Simmer 10 minutes uncovered. Then cover tightly and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Drop the soft dough from a spoon onto tender chicken or meat simmering in broth, or stock, not into the broth. Dumplings are delicate and need support while they cook.
- Cook slowly 10 minutes with the kettle uncovered, then cover and cook 10 minutes longer without lifting the cover. If you have a domed cover, use it, because it helps prevent sogginess.
- Remove dumplings and chicken or meat to a heated platter and keep warm in the oven while you make the gravy. Spoon some of the gravy over and around the dumplings. Serve the remainder of it in a bowl.
Makes about 12 dumplings.
