Southwestern Turkey Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (see Tip, below)
1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cracked black peppercorns
1 lb (500 g) skinless boneless turkey breast, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
2 tbsp (25 mL) whole wheat flour
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juice
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) reduced-sodium chicken stock
2 cups (500 mL) sliced green beans



Dumplings
3/4 cup (175 mL) stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup (125 mL) whole wheat flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil


Method
1. In a skillet or frypan, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring, until celery softens, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, jalape?o and chipotle peppers, chili powder and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add turkey and cook, stirring, until surface whitens, about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Stir in green beans.

2. Dumplings: In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center. In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk and oil, mixing well. Pour into well and stir just until mixture is evenly moistened. Ensure stew is at a simmer and drop dough by heaping tablespoons (15 mL) onto simmering liquid. Cover tightly and steam until dumplings are puffed and tender, about 20 minutes.


Tip
Chipotle peppers are dried smoked jalapeno peppers. When reconstituted and cooked in adobo sauce, they carry a lot of heat, so if you're heat averse, use only half of one.

(From The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook: 150 Recipes for Healthy Living by Judith Finlayson)