If you look up comfort food in the dictionary, I’m pretty sure you’ll find a picture of this stew. But in all seriousness, I did make this stew twice in 1 week because we craved it so much. In keeping with the theme of the season, I added sage and chives to the dumplings for extra flavor and they are so good. Everyone has their own way of making dumplings. This is my recipe from my British dish, Minced Beef and Dumplings that uses an animal fat called suet. The U.S substitute for this is shortening or unsalted butter. This dumpling recipe always turn out soft and fluffy with a little crisp on the top. I don’t like soggy dumplings, so I broil (grill if you’re in the U.K) them so they get a little brown on the top. This is an optional step. I wrote earlier about the ‘all-day’ cooked taste. This is achieved by using fresh herbs and my secret ingredient, ground fennel. Good chicken stock is also key. Some I have tried taste nothing like they should and can dramatically change the flavor of the dish. Low sodium or unsalted is what I use so I can control the salt content. Gluten-free option All-purpose flour is used to chicken the gravy. Gluten-free flour would also work, as well as corn starch. More Comfort Food Recipes:
Chicken Pot Pie with Winter Vegetables Mushroom, Sage Mac and Cheese The Best Chicken Soup Italian Sausage and Bean Casserole
