Well, I finally got around to making one of my favorite
recipes, Brunswick Stew. I make this about once a year
usually but it seems like it's been long than that this
time. Boy is it good. It fills my large stockpot. It
makes a ton. Although I tend to add more stuff than it
calls for.

BRUNSWICK STEW WITH CORN DUMPLINGS

18 white peppercorns, bruised
6 whole cloves
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs parsley
1/4 t. dried thyme or 4 sprigs fresh
2 qts. chicken stock
1 5- to 6-lb. stewing hen or large roaster, quartered (or equivalent in
chicken parts)
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped (get the good, thick-sliced stuff from the deli
section)
3 medium onions, chopped
3 medium new potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1-lb. 12-oz. can peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 c. dried baby lima beans, soaked overnight in cold water and drained
2 T. tomato paste
1 whole dried red pepper (optional)
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. freshly ground pepper
1 c. fresh okra, halved
2 c. fresh corn kernels
Corn Dumplings (recipe follows)

Combine first 6 ingredients in small piece of cheesecloth and
secure with a string. Add to an 8-quart pot with the stock and
bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add hen, giblets, and
1 chopped onion. Simmer, covered, until the chicken is tender,
about 1 1/2-2 hours. Chill overnight if desired. Skim fat from
surface of stock. Remove chicken; discard skin and bones and
cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. Cook bacon until
crisp in medium skillet over medium heat. Remove with slotted
spoon to paper towel and drain well. Add to stock. Pour off
all but 2 T. fat and place skillet over high heat. Add remaining
onion and saute quickly until browned. Add to stock along
with potatoes, tomatoes, lima beans, tomato paste, red pepper,
salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover partially and
simmer until beans are tender, about 40-60 minutes. (Stew
can be prepared several days ahead to this point and refrigerated.)
Stir in reserved chicken, okra, and corn. Bring stew to simmer,
then drop dumpling batter in by tablespoonfuls. Cover pot securely
and simmer until dumplings are puffed and a toothpick inserted
in center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Turn into soup
tureen to serve or spoon dumplings into heated bowls and ladle
soup over. Makes 8 servings.

Corn Dumplings:
1 c. flour
1 T. yellow cornmeal
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
generous pinch sugar
1 T. butter, chilled
1/3 c. fresh corn kernels or frozen, thawed
2/3 c. cold milk

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar in medium
bowl and mix well. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or two
knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in corn using
fork, then add milk and stir just until moistened; do not overmix.
Add to stew and cook as directed.

Here's what I do differently, sort of. This time I used about
5 lbs. of chicken leg/thigh quarters (got a 10-lb. bag for
$4.70 at Walmart). Cooked that and then removed meat from
bones and put meat back in the broth. Cooked the limas
separately. Use 1 lb. instead of 1/2 lb. (I love limas -
plus I leave out the okra - I hate okra.) Diced and cooked
the bacon till just crisp and then removed to pot and
added onion and garlic and cooked. Added onion and
garlic and all the bacon grease to the pot. I just
threw the whole cloves and peppercorns (black) in the
broth. I didn't have any cheesecloth so the hell with it.
Every once in a while I get a very pungent bite. :-)
I saw some canned potatoes (Del Monte) at Walmart where
I was shopping for my ingredients so I decided to try them.
I wasn't sure if they would be gross or not. They're
actually very nice and I didn't have to peel potatoes
(although I wouldn't have peeled them in any case but
you still have to scrub them thoroughly and then cut off
any bad spots and then cut them up - too much work - boy
I love these canned potatoes - haven't seen them in the
regular supermarkets so I was really surprised when I saw
them at Walmart - didn't know you could get such a thing).
Anyhoo, threw in the canned potatoes (2 lg. cans), canned
corn (3 reg. cans), and canned diced tomatoes (1 lg. can).
Added the bay leaves, hot red chile flakes, the cloves and
the peppercorns, dried thyme, bay leaves, dried parsley.
Then I drained and rinsed the limas and added them. Salt
to taste. Brought to simmer and made the dumplings and
cooked them. Yum. These are the best dumplings ever!

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

On Wed 24 May 2006 12:11:21p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Kate
Connally?

> Well, I finally got around to making one of my favorite
> recipes, Brunswick Stew. I make this about once a year
> usually but it seems like it's been long than that this
> time. Boy is it good. It fills my large stockpot. It
> makes a ton. Although I tend to add more stuff than it
> calls for.
>
> BRUNSWICK STEW WITH CORN DUMPLINGS

Kate, this sounds delicious! Although I have eaten Brunswick Stew, I have
never made. Your recipe looks even better than those I have eaten.

Thanks for posting!

--

Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________ ___________

"How can a nation be great if it's bread taste like Kleenex?"

Julia Child