Instructions: For chicken: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse chicken and pat dry; then season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken in oil in a skillet over medium heat, browning it lightly on both sides. Remove from pan, keeping liquid in pan. To same pan, add leeks and white onion; cover and cook over medium heat until they are translucent but not browned. Add wine and cook uncovered until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Set aside.

In medium oven-proof saute pan, add chicken, chicken stock and a sprig of tarragon. Cover and oven-braise for 45 minutes, or until meat is very tender.

Remove chicken from pan and skim fat off stock. Reserve. Remove bones from legs when cooled.

Combine leek mixture and stock in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain over a medium bowl. Gently stir cream into sauce. At this point, the chicken and sauce may be covered and stored separately in the refrigerator overnight.

For dumplings: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift sugar, baking powder, salt and flour into a medium bowl and make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, mix egg, melted butter and buttermilk. Add lemon zest and pour mixture into well of dry ingredients. Stir gently until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Place chicken in a casserole dish, add sauce (if chicken and sauce are stored overnight, reheat before using), chopped tarragon, mushrooms and roasted pearl onions. Place large spoonfuls of dumpling batter 1 inch apart on top of the casserole contents. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned. Serve with chardonnay.

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