Chicken with Bread Dumplings
(Serves 6 - 8)

2 each 3-4 lb whole chickens, cut into 10 pieces each
4 T butter
2 large onion cut in 1/8’s
3 celery stalks cut into ½ inch pieces
4 carrots peeled and cut into 1” pieces
5 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 T dry sherry
4T arrowroot
¼ cup heavy cream
¾ cup frozen peas thawed

Directions

Melt butter in a large soup pot and add onions, celery and carrot. Cook covered over low heat for about 15 minutes. Add chicken dark meat pieces, stock, bay leaves and thyme. Simmer covered for 25 minutes. Mix cornstarch with sherry and whisk into broth. Add heavy cream, breast pieces and simmer for 10 minutes. Add peas and serve with dumplings.

Bread Dumplings
(about 20)

4oz. onion, diced
2 oz. butter
1 lb bread, stale, small dice
4 oz. flour
1 cup milk
5 each eggs
½ cup parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste, pinch nutmeg

Directions

Sauté the onions in the butter until they are lightly colored; cool. Moisten the bread with the milk and let set for 30-40 minutes. Add the onions, eggs, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper to the soaked milk. Stir in the flour and let rest covered for 30 minutes. Add additional egg-milk mixture if the mixture becomes dry. Shape mixture into 2-inch dumplings and poach in simmering salted water for 15 minutes.