Dumplings

There are a few different foods that are referred to as dumplings. I haven't made Asian style dumplings yet and apple dumplings are for another post. What I'm writing about today I call traditional savory dumplings. They're very similar to biscuits, but they're cooked right on top of a lightly boiling stew or soup. They add a bit of thickening to the stew and they're simply fantastic. Other than their taste, their main advantage is that they don't require any extra pans making cleanup just as simple as before. These are the simplest easiest way to add a home made starch to your meal from both a prep, a cooking, and a cleanup standpoint. What's not to like?

Basic Savory Dumplings - from King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion
Note: This is is double batch which is perfect for my family of 6 in a 10 inch pot. Adjust as needed.

Ingredients:
One pot of lightly boiling stew or soup
2 cups flour
1 1/5 tsp salt
1 tbs baking powder
4 tbs butter
1 cup milk

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or pastry fork or whatever technique you would normally use to make biscuits. I prefer a pastry cutter. Add the milk and mix gently until it's all stuck together. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Using a spoon or your fingers, drop balls of dough about the size of a golf ball into the stew. I get between 8 and 15 balls depending on the mood I'm in. Doesn't seem to matter, it always turns out great. Let the dumplings cook uncovered in the simmering stew for 10 minutes uncovered. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
If you want to spice things up you can add a bit of garlic powder or rosemary or a pinch of cayenne pepper or whatever sounds good. Different soups are complimented by different flavors so experiment and see what you can come up with. Dumplings are fantastic.