Aunt Fayes Chicken with Scallion Dumplings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 whole leg-thigh chicken pieces
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion
• quartered
• 2 whole cloves
• 3 cups Chicken Stock (page 28)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 leeks
• white and pale green parts only
• thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks
• thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 4 cups Chicken Stock (page 28)
• 2 medium turnips
• peeled and diced
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe Scallion Dumplings (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• beaten with a fork
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• melted
• 4 scallions
• finely chopped

Instructions

1. To make the chicken, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
2. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
3. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken, and cook, turning once, until it is well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total.
4. Pour off the excess oil, and add the stock, the onion pierced with the two cloves (so that two quarters have one clove each), and the thyme sprigs, if desired.
5. Add enough water just to cover the chicken, and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, until the meat is tender and coming away from the bone, 40 to 50 minutes.
7. (Alternatively, this can be cooked, covered, in a 250F oven.)
8. Remove from the heat, allow the chicken to cool, and drain, reserving liquid (you should have 3 to 4 cups).
9. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick the meat off the bones and set aside; discard the bones.
10. Preheat the oven to 400F.
11. To make the stew, in a heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
12. Add the leeks and celery, and saute until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes.
13. Add the garlic, thyme, and sage, and saute for another minute.
14. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables are well coated.
15. Whisk in the half and half and 1 cup of the stock and bring to a boil.
16. Whisk in the remaining 3 cups of stock (if you have less, make up the difference with water), then add the turnips and carrots.
17. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, then add the chicken meat and a pinch of salt, and simmer gently, stirring from time to time, for about 15 minutes, until the carrots and turnips are tender.
18. Taste for seasonings, and add more salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired.
19. Stir in the peas.
20. Mix up the dumpling dough and drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the surface of the stew.
21. Place, uncovered, in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the surface of the dumplings is dry to the touch and golden brown.
22. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cayenne, and a generous grinding of black pepper.
23. In another bowl, use a fork to stir together the egg, milk, butter, and scallions.
24. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to make a stiff batter; season with a generous grinding of black pepper.