Joe Booker Stew

Joe Booker Stew (Beef Stew with Dumplings)

Serves 6 to 8

You can substitute peeled, chopped turnip or parsnip for the rutabaga. Use a Dutch oven with at least a 6-quart capacity.

STEW
8	ounces  salt pork , quartered
3	pound  boneless beef chuck , cut into 1-inch chunks
	Pepper
2	onions , chopped
2	tablespoons  all-purpose flour
4	cups  low-sodium beef broth
4	cups  water
2	teaspoons  minced fresh thyme
1 1/2	pounds  red potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 1/2	pounds  rutabaga , peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks (see note)
1	pound  carrots , peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
DUMPLINGS
2	cups  all-purpose flour
5	teaspoons  baking powder
1/2	cup  finely chopped fresh parsley
	Salt and pepper
1	cup  milk
3	tablespoons  unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1. MICROWAVE PORK Place salt pork in bowl and microwave until fat renders and pork is golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour off fat, reserving 2 tablespoons (if you have less, supplement with vegetable oil). When pork is cool enough to handle, rinse under running water to remove excess salt. Set aside.
2. BROWN BEEF Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons reserved pork fat in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until well browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer to bowl and repeat with additional 2 teaspoons pork fat and remaining beef. Add remaining pork fat and onion to empty pot and cook until golden brown, about 5 -minutes. Stir in flour and cook until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
3. SIMMER STEW Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot. Stir in broth, water, thyme, and rinsed salt pork and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until meat is nearly tender, about 1 hour. Remove and discard salt pork. Add potatoes, rutabaga, and carrots to pot and continue to simmer, covered, until vegetables are just tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
4. MAKE DUMPLINGS When vegetables are nearly tender, combine flour, baking powder, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Combine milk and butter in liquid measuring cup and microwave, stirring once or twice, until butter melts, about 1 minute. Stir warm milk mixture into flour mixture until incorporated.
5. STEAM DUMPLINGS Once vegetables are tender, use small ice cream scoop or 2 large spoons to drop golf ball-size dumplings (about 2 tablespoons) into stew (you should have about 15 dumplings). Simmer gently, covered, until dumplings have doubled in size and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Serve.
MAKE AHEAD: The stew can be made through step 3, covered, and refrigerated for 3 days. To serve, bring stew to simmer and proceed with step 4.

Corn and Bacon Chowder

Quick Corn Chowder with Bacon

Serves 4

Frozen corn can be quickly defrosted in a bowl in the microwave. If using fresh corn, you’ll need about 1 dozen medium ears; use a chef’s knife to cut the kernels off the husked and silked ears.

8	cups  frozen corn kernels (about 2 pounds), thawed (see note)
3	cups  low-sodium chicken broth
6	slices  bacon , chopped fine
1	onion , chopped fine
2	pounds  russet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2	cup  heavy cream
1	teaspoon  minced fresh thyme
1/8	teaspoon  cayenne pepper
	Salt and pepper

1. Puree 4 cups corn and 2 cups broth in blender or food processor until smooth. Cook bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes; transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Reduce heat to medium and cook onion and potatoes in bacon fat until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Whisk in pureed corn mixture, cream, thyme, cayenne, and remaining broth and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in remaining corn and cook until corn is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with crisp bacon. Serve.

Clam Chowder

Quick Clam Chowder

Serves 6

Serve this summer favorite with saltines or oyster crackers.

4	(6.5-ounce) cans minced clams
3	(8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 1/2	pounds  red potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2	bay leaves
2	teaspoons  minced fresh thyme leaves
6	slices  bacon , chopped fine
1	onion , minced
2	cloves  garlic , minced
1/4	cup  all-purpose flour
1	cup  heavy cream
2	tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Drain clams through strainer set over medium bowl. Add bottled clam juice to drained liquid to measure 5 cups (add water if necessary). Bring potatoes, clam juice, bay leaves, and thyme to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low to maintain gentle simmer.
2. While potatoes are coming to boil, cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
3. Pour potatoes and cooking liquid into pot with onion mixture, using wooden spoon to scrape bottom of pan. Add clams, cream, and parsley and simmer until potatoes are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Quick Chicken and Dumpling Soups

Quick Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Serves 4 to 6

The combination of rotisserie chicken and store-bought broth gives this soup a rich chicken flavor in minutes.

1 1/2	cups  all-purpose flour
2/3	cup  water
2	large  eggs , lightly beaten
	Salt and pepper
3	tablespoons  unsalted butter
1	onion , chopped fine
2	carrots , peeled and sliced thin
1	celery rib , sliced thin
8	cups  low-sodium chicken broth
1	rotisserie chicken  , skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)

1. Whisk flour, water, eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl; set aside.
2. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrots, and celery until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove lid of pot. Stir in chicken and season with salt and pepper; return to simmer. Working quickly, use ½ teaspoon measuring spoon to drop pieces of dough into soup. Simmer, covered, until dumplings are set, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 8 to 10

The thighs are used to flavor the broth; once the broth is strained, shred the thigh meat and reserve it for a salad or pot pie. If you prefer dark meat in your soup, you can omit the chicken breasts and add the shredded thigh meat to the soup instead.

Broth
12	bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 pounds)
1	tablespoon  vegetable oil
1	medium onion , chopped
3	quarts  water
2	bay leaves
2	large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Soup
1	tablespoon  vegetable oil
1	medium onion , chopped fine
1	carrot , sliced thin
1	rib  celery , halved lengthwise, then sliced thin
2	teaspoons  minced fresh thyme leaves
6	ounces  wide egg noodles
1/4	cup  minced fresh parsley leaves

1. For the broth: Pat thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until smoking. Cook half of thighs skin side down until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes. Turn thighs and lightly brown second side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to strainer-lined large bowl. Repeat with remaining thighs and transfer to strainer; discard fat in bowl. Pour off fat from pot, add onion, and cook over medium heat until just softened, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin from thighs. Add thighs, water, bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon salt to pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add chicken breasts and continue simmering until broth is rich and flavorful, about 15 minutes.
2. Strain broth into large container, let stand at least 10 minutes, then remove fat from surface. Meanwhile, transfer chicken to cutting board to cool. Once cooled, remove thigh meat from bones, shred, and reserve for another use (can refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month). Shred breast meat and reserve for soup.
3. For the soup: Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until onion has softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thyme and broth and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add noodles and shredded breast meat and simmer until noodles are just tender, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Make Ahead
The broth (and shredded breast meat) for this soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month before being used to make soup. To avoid soggy noodles and vegetables, finish the soup (step 3 in the recipe) just before you plan on serving it.

Chicken and Slicks

Chicken and Slicks

Serves 4 to 6

If you’re short on chicken fat at the end of step 1, supplement it with vegetable oil.

3	bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), excess fat trimmed
2	bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved crosswise
	Salt and pepper
2	cups  plus 6 tablespoons  all-purpose flour
3	tablespoons  vegetable oil
1	onion , chopped
2	teaspoons  minced fresh thyme
7 1/2	cups  low-sodium chicken broth
2	bay leaves
1/4	cup  Chopped fresh parsley

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Toast 6 tablespoons flour in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer flour to medium bowl and wipe out pot. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken until well browned all over, about 10 minutes; transfer to plate. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin. Pour fat (you should have about 2 tablespoons) into another small bowl; reserve.
2. Add onion and 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty pot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 7 cups broth, chicken, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until white meat registers 160 degrees and dark meat registers 175 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer chicken to clean plate. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size pieces, discarding bones.
3. Meanwhile, combine remaining chicken broth, reserved fat, and remaining oil in liquid measuring cup. Process remaining flour and ½ teaspoon salt in food processor until combined. With machine running, slowly pour in broth mixture and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide in half.
4. Following photos 1 to 3, roll each dough half into 10-inch square. Cut each square into twenty 5 by 1-inch rectangles. Place handful of noodles in single layer on parchment-lined plate, cover with another sheet of parchment, and repeat stacking with remaining noodles and additional parchment, ending with parchment. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes.
5. Return broth to simmer and add noodles. Cook until noodles are nearly tender, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to separate. Remove 1 cup broth from pot and whisk into reserved toasted flour. Stir broth-flour mixture into pot, being careful not to break up noodles, and simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and parsley and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
MAKE AHEAD Broth and chicken can be made through step 2 and refrigerated in separate airtight containers for 2 days. Dough can be made through step 3, wrapped in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for 1 day. To finish, proceed with step 4.