Recipe Background
No-Way Dumplings: Cozy post-layoff comfort food with chickpeas.
The first time I made these No-Way Dumplings was during a post-layoff period, a time that demanded creativity and comfort. Having just been let go from a job I adored, I found solace in my kitchen, surrounded by the hum of simmering pots and the robust scent of freshly chopped herbs. I always keep a can of chickpeas in the cupboard, and they transformed this dish into the hearty escape I needed. The buttery roux was a gentle hug, wrapped around the diced carrots and sweet onion, which offered a touch of joy in their vibrant colors as they softened in the pan.
During that trying time, I discovered a few tricks that made these dumplings perfect. Letting the dumpling dough stand allows it to absorb the flavors of the buttermilk and egg, creating tender bites every time. The day I made these, I stirred in a splash of heavy cream toward the end, and suddenly, the world felt just a bit brighter. Each spoonful was a reminder that sometimes, simplicity in a bowl is enough to lift the spirits on a tough day.
These dumplings became my little warriors, helping me navigate the trickiest of life’s turns. As they cooked in the fragrant broth, they seemed to rise to the challenge, just like I had to in my own life. Each batch I made felt less like a coping mechanism and more like a statement of resilience. The kitchen may have been a place of healing during that challenging time, but these dumplings turned it into a place of strength.
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- kosher salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock plus more, to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
For the herb dumplings:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- fresh parsley to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
- Stir the onions, the carrots, the celery, the garlic, the extra salt, the pepper, the rosemary, and the thyme into the melted butter and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir 3 tablespoons of the flour into the vegetable mixture to create a roux. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Be careful it does not burn.
- Slowly stream 3 cups of the chicken stock into the vegetable mixture, while stirring.
- Increase the heat to medium and cook the soup mixture until it comes to a low boil and it slightly thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the chickpeas into the soup mixture, then stir in the heavy cream. The soup should be lightly bubbling.
- While the soup mixture is cooking, in a large bowl, whisk the remaining flour, the baking powder, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the poultry seasoning together.
- In a small bowl, combine the egg and the buttermilk, then stir it into the dumpling mixture until it is just mixed.
- Let the dumpling dough stand until ready to use.
- Taste the soup and season with the extra salt and the extra pepper, as needed. If the soup is too thick, add at least 1 cup of the extra chicken stock.
- Drop equal spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the soup and cook, untouched, about 7 minutes.
- Flip the dumplings and cook the soup, about 7 minutes. If the soup comes to a full boil, reduce the heat so that it is simmering.
- Serve the soup garnished with the parsley.
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