Chicken and Dumplings

Motivation
To be clear, this recipe is for the type of chicken and dumplings where the dumplings are big fat noodles, not the kind where the dumplings are delicious icebergs the bob around.  Both types are legitimate dumplings.

For me, this recipe is all about the broth.  With top notch broth this is comfort food that's hard to beat.  With thin broth its just so-so.  The broth has to be unctuous and packed with chicken flavor.  In short, the stuff out of the can isn't going to cut it - you need to make a stock.

I've tried a number of ways to make stock over the years.  My current favorite is stock made out of the left over carcass of something that has been roasted, grilled, or smoked.  What's included here is about the least hassle way I've come up with to get banging good stock.  Basically I buy precooked rotisserie chickens from the local grocery store.  Strip the meat and use the carcass to make the stock.

Ingredients
For the stock
2 Rotisserie Chickens
1 Onion

For the dumplings
2 1/2 cups Flour
3 Eggs
Pinch Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
~1/3 cup Water

Mise en Place
I usually make this dish over two days.  Make the stock on day one then then dumplings on day 2.

Remove meat for rotisserie chickens and save to added to the final dish.  Two chickens ought to result in more meat than you need for this dish, so there will be some spare meat to use in something else.  This is not a bad problem to have.

Throw wing tips, bones, and any other part of the rotisserie chicken that isn't chunks of meat into a stock pot and add water.  Be careful not to add too much water.  I usually add just enough to barely cover my chicken carcass parts.  Quarter the onion and throw into stock pot.  In my experience this is all that is really necessary.  You can add other vegetables if you wish.  Carrots and celery are popular.  Herbs like rosemary and thyme are nice too.  In my opinion lots of extra veggies don't make all that much difference to a good meat stock.   Simmer stock for at least 3 hours.  I usually cover it so I don't have to replace evaporated water.  Strain stock and chill.

Method
In a food processor fitted with a dough-blade add all the dumpling ingredients.  Try adding less than 1/3 of cup at water and adding more later if you need it.  If you start by dumpling all the water in you'll probably end up with dough that is too moist and needs extra flour (voice of experience talking).  Pulse the processor until a dough ball is formed and let rest for 15 minutes under a moist towel.

Bring stock to a simmer.

Kneed a few times then roll out dough into a thin sheet and cut into noodles roughly an inch wide and 2-4 inches long.  Add noodles to simmering stock a few at a time.  I don't always use up all the dough.  It depends on how much stock I have and what sort of dumpling ratio I'm in the mood for.  Once all noodles are added, add reserved chicken from the rotisserie and cook until thoroughly heated.  Serve.

Curried Apples with Coconut Curry Mousse (Beta)

Motive
I've been trying to think of a fun way to incorporate curry into dessert for a while now.  I know that curry pairs well with sweet things, I just couldn't think of the right angle to approach the dish from.  

Right after Christmas I tried some coconut curry cashews.  They were horrible.  I thought they tasted like play-doh.  I spit them out and tried my best to forget them.

Finally, a couple of weeks later the two neurons ran into each other and realized that while those cashews were awful, the coconut and curry flavor pairing might be just what I need to make my dessert.  This is my first attempt at this savory/sweet dessert.  Beta 1.0 if you will.

Special Equipment:
iSi Whipper

Ingredients
For the mousse:
1/2 cup Coconut Milk
2 tsp Curry Powder
1/2 tsp Coconut Extract
3 tbsp Powdered Sugar
~1/2 cup Heavy Cream

For the candied pecans:
Handful of Pecans
1/2 tsp Curry Powder
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/2 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Corn Syrup

For the curried apples:
1 tbsp Butter
2 Apples, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 tbsp Crystallized Ginger
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Mise en Place
The mousse needs to be made a head of time so it has time to chill.  Fill a glass measuring cup with coconut milk and nuke it for ~30 seconds to get a bit of warmth in it.  Add all the dry ingredients and whisk it together.  Add cream until the measuring cup reads 1 cup of volume.  Whisk contents then strain through a fine mesh  sieve into the iSi whipper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

The candied pecans can be made a head of time.  Toast pecans in a small skillet.  When you smell toasted pecan add the butter to the pan.  Once the butter melts add corn syrup, curry powder, and brown sugar.  Mix until the pecans are well coated with the sugar then remove from heat and let cool.  Stir nuts occasionally so they do not clump together.

Method
Peel apples.  Core and slice as if preparing apples for an apple pie filling.  Place a skillet over medium heat.  Melt butter and add sliced apples and crystallized ginger.  Cook until apples are softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to cook and stir until everything is well incorporated.

Place apple mixture in a small bowl.  Top with coconut curry mousse from the iSi whipper and garnish with candied pecans.

Verdict
The coconut curry mousse's texture was very light, more like whipped cream.  The flavor profile was spot on though.  I'll be making that again.

The apple mixture should of been more complex.  I think the ginger and cloves dominated it.  Next time I need to hold back on the spices a bit.

The candied pecans didn't taste very curry.  I need to bump of the spices in them.

Overall the dessert has an interesting mix of textures and temperatures.  I think it was a good first attempt.