Chicken and dumplings

Wash and trim the celery. Peel the onions, the carrots and the garlic. Dice the washed onion, carrots and celery finely. Mince the garlic.

Use a wide lidded casserole, about 28 cm across. Heat the oil and brown the chicken for about 8 min, turning, then transfer to a plate. It is not yet cooked through.

Cook the onion and garlic in the casserole for 5 min, then add the carrot and celery for another 5 min. Stir in 40 g butter and 30 g flour and cook for 2 min. Gradually stir in the stock and 240 ml milk. Add the thyme, 1 g parsley, 3 g salt and 0.6 g pepper.

Cut the chicken on a board reserved for the still-raw meat. Return it and its juices to the sauce. Cover and simmer for 8 min. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 30 g butter. In a bowl, mix the remaining 140 g flour, baking powder, remaining 1 g parsley, 2 g salt and 0.2 g pepper. Add the melted butter and remaining 140 ml milk. Stir just until a soft, sticky dough forms, without kneading.

Divide the dough into 12 small spooned portions and place them apart on the simmering sauce. They expand: do not crowd them, and use additional casseroles if needed. Cover and simmer steadily for 15 min without lifting the lid. Split a dumpling: the centre must be fluffy with no raw dough. Check the chicken reaches 75 °C for 30 s. Continue covered if necessary. Serve the sauce, chicken and dumplings together.