Chicken and Dumplings

Because it is snowing again, and I feel a sinus infection or cold coming, I decided to make chicken and dumplings.

Nothing says a cold day then soup.

To spice things up we found a recipe that included a twist to a normal bisquit dumpling, by adding shallots, chives, and dijon mustard to a pate a choux recipe. Creating small quenelle shape .

Dumplings:

Find a Pate a Choux recipe you are comfortable with and add

1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 or 1 shallots depending on how much onion flavor you like

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of minced fresh herbs (dill, chives choose a fav)

Soup:

4 quarts chicken stock (cook your chicken first and use it)

5 stalks celery

3 large carrots

1 teaspoon honey

1 bay leaf

2 thyme sprigs

1 large garlic clove, crushed

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Roux (1 stick of butter and flour)

shredded chicken

1/4 cup freshly minced herbs (herbs de province, tarragon, parsley, anything that you like in your chicken soup)

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

flat leaf parsley leaves

First Find a Pate a Choux recipe that you are comfortable with. It is alot easier than people realize. Before adding the eggs, mix in the mustard and herbs. THIS MAKES THE BISCUITS AMAZING. Then take a few minutes and dish out the quenelle forms. It is also easier than it looks. you are basically using two teaspoons and rolling the dough into uniform sizes. Place it on a PAM* sprayed or like wax sheet until you are ready to drop it into a boiling pot of water or stock. I prefer stock, as these babies will bath in the delicious chicken flavor for a uniform and delicious taste. Some people prefer to taste chicken on chicken, and biscuit in biscuit.

While this is going on or prior to it, boil your chicken.

it can be pieces (I like thighs and legs over breasts meat) or a whole chicken. Once they are cooked remove the chicken to cool and add the veggies, or cook your biscuits first, remove and then cook your veggies. Add a roux, chicken and biscuits at the end and let it boil.

EAT and ENJOY.