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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Season the flour generously with salt and freshly ground pepper.
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3
Dust the chicken portions with the seasoned flour and sage.
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4
Heat the butter in a large casserole dish.
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5
Add in the chicken and brown on all sides.
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6
Remove the chicken and put to one side.
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7
Add the chopped bacon to the casserole dish and fry for 2 minutes.
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8
Add in the leeks, carrot, celery, onion and garlic and fry gently, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes.
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9
Add the chopped thyme, sugar, ale, malt vinegar and the Dijon mustard and bring to the boil.
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10
Pour the chicken broth into the dish, then add the browned chicken, bay leaf, rutebaga and parsnips.
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11
Cover and bake in the preheated oven for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 275F and bake in the oven for a further 1 hour 30 minutes.
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12
Meanwhile, make the dumplings.
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13
Place the stilton, walnuts, flour, suet, egg yolks in a bowl.
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14
Add in the salt, freshly grated nutmeg and freshly ground pepper, mixing well.
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15
Combine the stilton mixture into a dough and shape into small, even-sized balls.
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16
Half an hour before the casserole has completed baking, scatter the dumplings over the casserole the top and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
