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Friday, January 4, 2008

The Morning News

posted by on January 4 at 7:47 AM

In Iowa: Obama, Huckabee, by surprising margins.

Caucuses: Record-breaking numbers of Democrats; Republicans, not so much. (Oh, and they’re old, too.)

Huckabee: A victory for evangelicals. Fine by us.

Edwards: Caucuses were a repudiation of Clinton.

McCain: Celebrating (but still creepy).

Out: Biden, Dodd.

God: Still talking to Pat Robertson, this time predicting result of 2008 election.

2008: Maybe the year that Saudi women will win the right to drive.

Nutty: Mentally ill son seeks to inherit estate of mother he killed.

Sick: “Tummy-tuck tourism” to poor countries catching on.

Trees: Absorbing less carbon dioxide as world gets warmer, study finds.

Unsatisfactory: Bhutto assasination inquiry, according to Musharref.

Police: Called to Britney Spears’ house in custodial dispute.

Scab: Jay Leno writes his own monologue, in violation of writers’ strike.

Ew: Chocolate-mint-flavored water? No.

Recipe of the Day: Chicken and Dumplings (recipe and photo via Smitten Kitchen)

2101972321_51e7977987.jpg

Ingredients

For the stew:
5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Table salt and ground black pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
2 medium leeks , white and llight green parts only, cut in half lengthwise and then into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion , minced
6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves

For the dumplings:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter)

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat.

2. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour.

3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew.

4. For the Dumplings: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth.

5. Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and tarragon, and season with salt and pepper. Following the steps below, drop golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve.

To make the dumplings:
1. Gather a golf-ball-sized portion of the dumpling batter onto a soup spoon, then push the dumpling onto the stew using a second spoon.
2. Cover the stew with the dumplings, leaving about 1/4 inch between each.
3. When fully cooked, the dumplings will have doubled in size.

RSS icon Comments

1

doesn't letterman's deal weaken the strike?

Posted by infrequent | January 4, 2008 10:27 AM
2

I'd like to say I'm a huge fan of recipe of the day. I think all sloggers who do the news should include one.

That is all.

Posted by dicker | January 4, 2008 10:28 AM
3

comments problems today, i guess. the context of my post was lost to some previous not-racist deleted comments.

Posted by infrequent | January 4, 2008 10:29 AM
4

"Watch me" tear down the viaduct.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/346052_gregoire04.html


Need a new Slog tracking poll minus Biden & Dodd. Hope Dennis K. picks up the slack.

Posted by Anon | January 4, 2008 10:36 AM
5

I think the mentally ill guy should get some of the money, and it should be immediately be seized by the state to cover the cost of his care.

Posted by keshmeshi | January 4, 2008 10:54 AM
6

On the contrary @1, Letterman and Craig Ferguson negotiated a separate contract with their writing staffs that exceeds the proposal rejected by the AMPTP. So in effect, this actually strengthens the WGA's hand, in the sense that producers (in this case, World Wide Pants, Letterman's production company) are now starting to jump ship as it were, which undermines the solidarity of the producers' faction.

It will be interesting to see how the these shows fare in terms of ratings, now that Leno, Stewart & Colbert are also back on-the-air - sans writers. If Letterman starts beating Leno in the overnights ("The Tonight Show" has traditionally been the ratings leader in that time-slot), it will put additional pressure on NBC & Comedy Central to settle in a similar manner, which will drive the wedge in even deeper.

Posted by COMTE | January 4, 2008 11:18 AM
7

infrequent @(now)3, it's too bad.  I thought we were maybe about to tip Fnarf completely over the edge. =p

COMTE @6, well argued.

Posted by lostboy | January 4, 2008 11:22 AM
8

The best place to get Chocolate Mint M&Ms is at the drugstore - for some reason you can't buy them at grocery stores nowadays ...

Oh, and that Victory for Obama pizza (Jamaican Jerk Chicken from my fave Fremont pizza place MAD Pizza) was great!

Posted by Will in Seattle | January 4, 2008 11:29 AM
9

@6 & @7 +1.

i think all the comments being deleted was the result of fnarf going over the edge! his mental is inextricably linked to slog comments. let's keep that in mind in future threads, okay?

Posted by infrequent | January 4, 2008 11:35 AM
10

You guys should compile the Stranger's recipes of the day into a cook book, then sell it with proceeds going to Northwest Harvest, or some other worthy cause. I'd buy it.

Posted by longball | January 4, 2008 2:10 PM

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