Slower Delaware style "chicken" and dumplings

Today's dish was inspired by two other bloggers. Matt at My Veggie Kitchen created the ultimate chicken flavored broth. Jeni at Heathen Vegan had some stew with dumplings and was discussing what the British and Americans call dumplings vs. biscuits.

Inspiration hits.

Chicken and Dumpling dinners are the annual fundraiser of many a Delaware organization. My church had one, I think the other was the Lions Club or something. So this usually is made to serve a crowd in a church basement or a school cafeteria. What makes these dumplings special is that they are slippery dumplings. Another colorful name for this dish is "yardbird and slicks." Honestly the chicken was never my favorite part anyway, so I'm just making the broth and dumplings, but this would be great with some chicken style seitan thrown in. Really the best time to make this would be after you've made some chicken style seitan by using the cooking broth. I wanted this NOW, so I took the shortcut. I had to cut my mom's secret family recipe by 1/3 or I'll be eating this until Halloween, but this can easily be multiplied for a crowd.

"Chicken" and Slippery Dumplings

4 cups chicken flavored broth

1 cup all purpose flour (plus about 1/2 cup more for keeping dough from sticking)

1 tsp salt

2 rounded TBS shortening

1/3 cup warm water

Boil broth. I heated up last weeks freegan broth with some chickpeas, celery, carrot, and 1 TBS poultry seasoning and 1 TBS Herbes de Provence, then strained it before adding the dumplings. Add salt to taste.

Mix together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening. Add water a little at a time to form a dough ball. Break off 1/3 cup sized pieces and roll out paper thin with lots of flour to keep from sticking. Cut into small rectangles about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. They don't have to be perfect, in fact a few trapezoids and squares make it interesting. Make sure each dumpling is well coated in flour. This helps thicken the broth as well.

Drop the dumplings in the hot broth and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Serve in shallow bowls. The dumplings stay rocket hot for awhile, so resist the temptation so start slurping them down right away.

Any leftovers will suck up lots of the broth so it won't be quite as gravyey, but I actually enjoy it the next day (or several days) as well. This is some serious rainy day comfort food!