Crowder Pea Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings

Ingredients

• Stew:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups fresh crowder peas
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 1/2 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Dumplings:
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. To prepare stew, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add celery, salt, and mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth, peas, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes or until peas are tender. Add tomatoes; return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
2. To prepare dumplings, while stew is simmering, combine cornmeal and next 4 ingredients (cornmeal through sugar) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk, butter, and egg; let stand 10 minutes.
3. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into stew to form 15 dumplings. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.