Wild Mushroom Stew with Herbed Dumplings

Wild Mushroom Stew with Herbed Dumplings
from Vegetarian Planet
Yummy!!!I used basic vegetable stock instead of making the one she suggests, but I put the full recipe down here.

Quick Stock:
2 carrots, cut into large chunks
1 tomato, cut into large chunks
1 fennel bulb, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1o cups qater

1/2 cup Madeira
1/3 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

DUMPLINGS:
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (any combination of rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, or tarragon) [I used thyme and tarragon]
3 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup whole or low-fat milk

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (any combination of shitakes, portobellos, hen-of-the-woods, cremini, chanterelle, or white button mushrooms), sliced [I used portobellos and white buttons]
1 large carrot, cut into small rounds
[I added 1 1/2 onions, diced, here]
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or chopped fresh sage
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon truffle oil (available in specialty food stores; optional) [I am too poor]

1) Make the quick stock: In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients. Bring them to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to low. Simmer the stock for 30 minutes. Strain out the vegetables, and save the stock. You should have about 8 cups.
2) While the stock simmers, heat the Madeira with 1/2 cup water in a small pan until the liquid begins to simmer. Add the porcini, turn off the heat, and cover the pan. Let the mushrooms steep for at least 15 minutes.
3) Make the dumplings: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and herbs. Add the butter in small pieces, and, with a pastry cutter or fork, incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. Add the eggs, then the milk. Stir the mixture with a spoon until it just comes together. Add a bit more milk if there are dry spots.
4) In a 4- quart saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the sliced mushroom and carrot (and onions), and sautee them over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. The mushrooms will quickly absorb all of the oil, but continue to cook them for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Add the garlic, and saute 30 seconds more, stirring. Then add the 8 cups stock and the soaking liquid from the porcini mushrooms. Bring the stew to a gentle boil, add the thyme or sage, and season the stew with salt and pepper. (At this point, you can cover and chill both the dumpling batter and the mushroom stew for later use.)
5) Using a soup spoon, drop dumpling batter by the spoonful into the simmering stew. If the dumplings seem crowded, don't worry; just poke them with a spoon from time to time to make sure they aren't sticking together. Roll the dumplings over after 4 to 5 minutes. When the dumplings have cooked for at least 10 minutes, ladle the stew into large bowls. If you have some truffle oil, drizzle it over each bowl of stew just before serving.
Serves four.