Yosemite Chicken Stew and Dumplings

For the stew:

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 C. onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/4 t. salt
1 pinch ground cloves
1 bay leaf
3 C. water
1 t. cornstarch
1 t. dried basil
1 10-oz. package frozen peas
black pepper, to taste

For cornmeal dumplings:

1 C. yellow cornmeal
3/4 C. sifted all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 C. milk
1 T. vegetable oil

For stew:

Place chicken, onion, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf and water in a large saucepan. Heat to boil; cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about l/2 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Strain broth.

Skim fat from broth; measure and, if necessary, add water to make 3 cups liquid.

Mix cornstarch with 1 C. cooled broth by shaking vigorously in jar with tight-fitting lid.

Pour into saucepan with remaining broth; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to boil and is thickened.

Add basil, peas and reserved vegetables to sauce; stir to combine.

Add chicken and heat slowly to boiling while preparing cornmeal dumplings.

For dumplings:

Sift together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl.

Mix together milk and oil. Add milk mixture all at once to dry ingredients; stir just enough to moisten flour and evenly distribute liquid. Dough will be soft.

Drop by full tablespoons on top of braised meat or stew. Cover tightly; heat to boiling. Reduce heat (do not lift cover) to simmering and steam about 20 minutes.

YIELD: 6 servings