Gourmet Recipes for Homemade Dumplings

Steamed, Baked and Fried, These are Winter Favorites

Sep 24, 2009 Marie Brannon

Few dishes can match the warmth and comfort provided by a bowl of plump yet light dumplings. Here are some recipes that add a gourmet touch to their hearty flavor.

Although they are believed to have originated in China, dumplings are served around the world. It has been said that the dumpling is to Middle European cookery what pasta is to Italian cuisine. Here are recipes for three varieties of dumplings – steamed, baked and fried.

Cornmeal and Sausage Dumplings

Ingredients:

• ½ cup yellow corn meal
• 1/3 cup milk
• 4 breakfast sausages (4 ounces)
• ½ plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine the cornmeal and milk and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes
2. In a skillet brown the sausages in 1 tablespoon water until they are cooked through
3. Remove the sausage casings and crumble the meat (should equal approximately ½ cup)
4. Into a bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt
5. Blend the shortening into the mixture until it resembles meal
6. Add the sausage meat, cornmeal mixture and egg
7. Toss the mixture until the flour is moistened
8. Drop the mixture by heaping tablespoons into a simmering stew or tomato sauce
9. Cover the dumplings and steam for 12 minutes

Makes about eight dumplings.

Baked Onion Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 10 small onions (about 1.5” in diameter)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Pinch of sugar
• ½ cup chicken stock or chicken broth
• 2 cups flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ stick of cold butter (6 tablespoons)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 10 teaspoons grated Cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, slightly beaten with milk added
• Caraway seeds

Directions:

1. In a skillet sauté the onions in the butter with a pinch of sugar for about five minutes
2. Add the chicken broth or stock and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until onions are tender
3. Transfer onions to paper towels to drain and cool
4. In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt
5. Blend in the butter until the mixture resembles meal
6. Stir in the milk, a little at a time, and form the mixture into a dough
7. Transfer the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it until no longer sticky
8. Roll the dough out to a thickness of about ¼” thick and cut it into ten squares of about 3½ inches each
9. Spread each square with softened butter, put one of the onions into the center and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese
10. Wrap the corners of the dough over the onion and press together
11. Brush each dumpling with the beaten egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds
12. Bake dumplings in a buttered baking dish for 20 minutes at 425F

Serve hot with soup. Makes ten dumplings.

Fried Farina Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup farina
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups dry bread crumbs
• ½ cup clarified butter

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan bring the milk and butter to a boil
2. Sprinkle in the farina, stirring constantly, and cook over moderate heat until it is thick
3. Remove from heat and stir in one egg a little at a time, the parsley, nutmeg and salt and pepper
4. Spread the mixture ½ inch thick on a well-buttered plate and chill for two hours, covered with buttered wax paper
5. Form heaping teaspoons of the cold mixture into balls and roll them in the bread crumbs
6. Roll the balls in the other lightly beaten egg and then roll again in the bread crumbs
7. In a skillet heat the clarified butter and add the dumplings
8. Fry over moderate heat until they are done and golden brown
9. Transfer to paper towels to drain

Serve with creamed vegetables or stew. Makes approximately sixteen dumplings.

These dumplings are unusual in that they are not simmered as in traditional recipes. For gourmet variations of simmered dumpling recipes, readers may be interested in Gourmet Recipes for Traditional Dumplings.

The copyright of the article Gourmet Recipes for Homemade Dumplings in Recipes is owned by Marie Brannon. Permission to republish Gourmet Recipes for Homemade Dumplings in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Fried Farina Dumplings

Preparing Baked Onion Dumplings

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