I duplicated a yet better version of Bubba Brownlee's dumpling stew
For all you aficionados of fine dining, here's my recipe for a 'better' version of detective Bubba Brownlee's dumpling stew. (Hey, would Bubba Brownlee be considered a politically incorrect character name these days?)
Here's what you need:
1) Any 20-ounce can of beef stew. You could use a 14-ounce can if you desire
less stew and are not that hungry or don't want to cook too much.
2) Any one of those rolls of over-baked biscuit rolls, the type that you have
to open by banging the tube on a edge. I recommend basic dough with nothing
else in it. Butter versions are okay. NOTE: In the movie it is evident
that the large bread dumplings must have been made either by Bisquick Mix
or by mixing all the separate ingredients of flour, water, baking soda,
pinch of salt, possibly some buttermilk.
COOK:
1) Deposit the stew inside a medium size pot.
OPTIONAL: You can add half a cup of water if you want more gravy to the
stew. This comes in handy when eating the dumplings and you
need more stew gravy to eat it with.
2) Bring the stew almost to a boil. You can add salt or pepper for your own
taste. I usually don't use any.
3) Deposit several of the biscuit roll dough pieces over the stew, enough to
cover the surface.
4) Place the lid on the pot and lower the heat to one-quarter. Cook for ten
minutes at least. Check inside after ten minutes. The dough pieces
should have completely fluffed up and expanded into large, white roundish
soft bread dumplings. The dumplings are now actually steamed bread. For
anyone who's tried Chinese dim sum, one of the offerings is a white
steamed bun filled with sweet pork. Steamed bread is delicious to eat but
it doesn't keep like baked bread. It's meant to be eaten when cooked.
5) Turn off the heat. Serve yourself two dumplings with stew at a time. Enjoy.
ADVANTAGE:
This quick dumpling stew is a good choice for the bachelor man living alone
who often comes home after a long day and doesn't feel like cooking but
doesn't want to bother with fast food and doesn't want tv dinners and pot
pies. This is fast to make and at least offers a resemblance of home-cooked
meals.
6) Store any unused, uncooked dough pieces in a small, airtight, plastic
container.