An even more amazing Gordon recipe!!

[Dancing Queen]

We have just had THE best chicken casserole I have ever tested or made. It was unreal, honestly, and I had to come straight on here and share. It's so cheap too, I think my chicken cost about £2!

Chicken casserole with coriander dumplings

Serves 4-6

8-12 chicken portions
1 litre chicken stock
4 celery sticks, halved
2 leeks (white part only) finely chopped
2 red onions, cut into wedges
4 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
1 celeriac, finely diced
1 bay leaf
few thyme sprigs
1 lemongrass stalk
knob of fresh root ginger, bruised
sea salt and pepper

Coriander dumplings:
250g plain flour
100g shredded suet
3 tbsp chopped coriander

1. Put the chicken in a large oval casserole, add the stock and bring to the boil. Add all the vegetables and bring back to a simmer. Add the herbs, ginger and plenty of seasoning. Cover and simmer very gently for about 40 mins until chicken is tender. Remove from heat, and allow to cool. (This can be done a day in advance.)

2. Skim off any fat from the surface of the casserole. Lift out the chicken pieces, remove the meat from the bone, discard the skin, then return to the pan. Check the seasoning.

3. To make the coriander dumplings, mix the flour, suet and coriander together in a bowl, adding enough cold water to form a soft, pliable dough. Shape into small dumplings.

4. Reheat the casserole. When the liquid comes to a boil, drop in the dumplings. Lower heat, re-cover and simmer for 10-15 mins or until the dumplings are doubled in size and fluffy. Discard the ginger and herbs.

5. Serve in warm pasta bowls, with crusty bread for mopping up the juices.

What I did (or didn't!) do -

I halved the recipe, but I just realised now that I didn't halve the stock but it never caused me any probs, and in fact, the stock wouldn't have covered everything.

I used 4 x chicken legs and that was plenty of meat.

I didn't leave the casserole to cool at the end of step 1, as I didn't have time. I just whipped out the chicken, stripped it off the bone, and put it straight back in.

Like the rest of the recipe, I halved the coriander recipe too, but they were quite heavy and doughy, so I'd either reduce the amount of flour, or cook them for a bit longer.

I served it with mash, as that's what OH wanted, and we didn't have any crusty bread.

I think that's it

Even if you wait til winter, you must give this a go!

[Rosa]

Mm you always have the best recipes!

That sounds lovely, I absolutely adore dumplings.

Thanks! Red x

[*Fallen Angel*]

That sounds heavenly! Wonder how many points are in it?

[Dancing Queen]

Wonder how many points are in it?

Wouldn't have the foggeist, but maybe taking the skin off the chicken to cook it would help to reduce them as other than that, it's pretty virtuous with the amount of veg in it! Does stock have many points in? I used Oxo cubes.

[Rosa]

I was just thinking that. Its the dumplings that are the killer. I think suet is 100% fat isn't it?

x

[katkinn]

ooh lovely!

Now questions

How did you "bruise" your ginger? smash it and fling it in??

And was the sauce really watery? I have to have my casserole/stew with a really thick gravy/sauce to it - there isn't any flour in this, so what was the consistency like?

[Dancing Queen]

Oh of course though if you were doing WW, you could leave out the dumplings, or dish your portion first, then add the dumplings for the rest of the family. I normally love them, but for the reasons I said above, I could have gone without tonight.

[Squirt]

That sounds really nice DQ , where are you getting these recipes ? I have looked at a few of his books and the recipes seem quite fancy .

x

[Rosa]

you could leave out the dumplings

[Dancing Queen]

How did you "bruise" your ginger? smash it and fling it in??

And was the sauce really watery? I have to have my casserole/stew with a really thick gravy/sauce to it - there isn't any flour in this, so what was the consistency like?

I peeled my ginger and then bashed it with my thick glass pyrex jug, took about 4 goes, but I got there!

The sauce is very watery, but it almost felt like a summery casserole for that reason though I don't see why you couldn't add flour/cornflour at some point to thicken it if you like it that way!

That sounds really nice DQ , where are you getting these recipes ? I have looked at a few of his books and the recipes seem quite fancy .

This is the 'Gordon Ramsay makes it easy' book. I've had it since Xmas and not made anything yet as I always thought the recipes were too fancy as well! But I had a good look through in the week, and there are a few in here I probably wouldn't do, but there are a lot I'd like to try my hand at It's a really very varied book though

PMSL @ Red Lou