Wash chicken and place in pot with water. Add onion stuck with cloves and salt. Simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until chicken is very tender. Skim off fat. Thicken gravy with flour mixed with a little cold water. Bring to boil, then drop in dumpling batter by the tablespoon. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes.
Butter Dumpling Batter Sift together 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of double acting baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix ( well beaten) 2 eggs with 2/3 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of melted butter and 1/4 tespoon crushed dried rosemary. Add this to dry ingredients. Mix lightly. Pour by large tablespoons on top of simmering stew and cover pot. Cook till tender and caky. . Check with fork. This recipe is 40 years old!