Know someone under the weather?
Our friend, Ray, who blesses us each year with two truckloads of “black gold” (horse manure), has been under the weather with the flu. He was supposed to come over for dinner and we’ve had to cancel twice.
Ray likes simple food so I was going to make chicken stew and dumplings and a green salad.
He’s homebound, though, and his appetite, like most folks with flu, isn’t good. I decided to swap out stew for a flavorful, simple chicken broth with drop dumplings.
Chicken broth is nourishing and hydrating. The bonus is it may help clear nasal congestion, too. The dumplings? Because they cook by steam in broth, they’re soft enough to eat and easy to digest.
I took the dumplings along with some homemade tapioca pudding (a family staple when someone is sick) to Ray’s house.
Regardless of where you live, seems like the flu is on the rise. If you have someone in your life who needs a bit of a boost and some old fashioned TLC, make a batch of dumplings.
I think you’ll be surprised at how well this doable recipe turns out.
Chicken broth and no peek drop dumplings
Makes 10-12 dumplings.
If broth is canned, smash a couple cloves of immune-boosting garlic and add them to it as it heats up. Remove
before dropping in dumplings. The dumplings thicken the broth as they cook.
8 or so cups chicken broth augmented with 2 cloves peeled, smashed garlic if canned broth
2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Couple pinches garlic powder
Fresh minced parsley to taste (optional) 1⁄4 cup butter, cut into small pieces 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1⁄2 cup milk, or bit more if needed
Bring broth and garlic, if using, to a boil. Lower to a simmer. Remove garlic before adding dumplings.
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley together.
Cut butter in with fork until flour resembles coarse crumbs.
Make well in the center.
Whisk egg and milk together. Pour into well and mix quickly with a fork. Dough will become shaggy and thick. If it’s dry, add a little more milk.
Spray a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon with cooking spray. This keeps dough from sticking.
Drop dumplings carefully on top of simmering broth. Leave space in between since dumplings double or triple their size as they steam.
Put lid on and simmer 12-15 minutes, or until largest dumpling is done.
NO PEEKING! The built-up steam cooks the dumplings, allowing them to rise.
Poke largest dumpling with toothpick.
It should come out clean if done.
Tips
I use a wide pan to accommodate dumplings. If necessary, use 2 smaller pans.
Recipe can be cut in half.
Dumplings can be cooked in any broth.