Day 3: Vegetable Casserole with Herbed Dumplings (4.7.10)

I was SO excited to try this recipe as it sounds super yummy and fairly easy.  I even used my Cusinart Food Processor to mix the dough for the dumplings which I was super proud of myself for.  I have all these kitchen gadgets and don't use them nearly enough.  I just get annoyed with having to monkey around with them in and out of cabinets and wish I had an restaurant sized kitchen in my house to just leave all of these wonderful appliances out.  In a perfect world, right?

Anyhow, I thought all the ingredients going into the casserole while I was making it looked tasty and I couldn't wait for 30 minutes to be up.  Finally, the timer went off and it was done.   I took it out of the oven and couldn't wait to take my first taste test which I always do before I serve it - that way I can adjust seasonings (or because it looks super delicious and I can't wait another minute!) Not only did I burn my mouth (impatient!) but then it hit me, BAM!

This recipe should actually be called "Vegetable Casserole with Hockey Puck DUMPlings."  It's always such a shame (and a bummer) when I take the time, effort & extra money to try a new recipe out and it flops....and not by my own doing.  The recipe is just stinky :-p  It would actually be easier to accept if it was because of something I missed or did wrong! It also doesn't make a convincing case to Amanda who is giving this vegetarian thing a test drive.  I'm really trying hard to come up with different dishes to avoid boredom and I know there are TONS out there.  It's just finding the *right* ones!

In all fairness, I should say that the vegetable portion of the dish was quite tasty.  They had a lot of flavor and it was a different flavor as I don't use much sweet paprika in cooking.  The DUMPlings however were sticky, hard, chewy and well, sick.  They were over-flavored with the herbs and under salted.  It was like eating a cross between paste & a dog biscuit.

With that being said,  I couldn't decide if I should still post the recipe for what we will now call "The casserole & DUMPlings."  Amanda & I joked and said, "I should call this post, "Try out this sick dish."  But that's the point of this blog, right?  To post the successes and failures of the recipes I try out.  So what I'll do when something turns out not-so-good is to put my two cents in on how to make it better or what I'd do differently.  Because if nothing else, I have learned what not to do if I ever make this again!

Vegetable Casserole with Herbed Dumplings

• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 2 Onions chopped
• 1 clove Garlic crushed
• 2 teaspoons Sweet Paprika
• 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 Large Golden Potatoes
• 1 Carrot sliced
• 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes 
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 teaspoons Thyme chopped
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 1/2 Cup Vegetable Stock  ( I would actually add 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 zuchinni sliced
• 5 Oz. Broccoli shredded (I would leave whole pieces)
• 1/2 cup cream (I used fat free half & half)

DUMPlings*** (See instructions below.....)

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons Butter chilled
• 1 Tablespoon Parsley chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Thyme  
• 1 Tablespoon Rosemary chopped 
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1/3 cup Water approximately

***USE THIS RECIPE FOR THE DUMPLINGS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!  I WOULD RECOMMEND AN ALL PURPOSE BAKING MIX AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR DUMPLINGS!!  Then, you can add the herbs from this recipe at your own discretion.....or just leave them out!  The casserole has enough flavor on it's own! ***

Preparation

1 Heat butter in a pan, add onions and garlic, stir over heat until onions are soft. Stir in paprika & flour, stir over heat for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, gradually stir in water, stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens.

2 Combine onion mixture with potatoes, carrot, undrained crushed tomatoes, paste, thyme, bay leaf and veggie in a 3-litre capacity ovenproof dish, bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Stir in zucchini and broccoli, bake for a further 15 minutes, or untill vegetables are just tender. Remove bay leaf, stir in cream.

3 Place heaped teaspoons of dumpling mixture around edge of casserole, bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through.

Herbed Dumplings
1 Sift flour into a bowl, rub in butter, then stir in parsley. Stir in milk and enough water to mix to a soft dough.

THE VERDICT:

Vic: "The veggies are tasty and would definitely make them as a side dish however I've never had a more disgusting dumpling.  Let's hope I never do......"

Amanda: "Veggies = Great.  Dumplings = Herby, not my favorite."