Jamie Olivers Rabbit Stew With Dumplings Recipes

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
• In a large dutch oven, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Toss the meat cubes with the 1 ½ tbsp of flour, and then in batches, brown them until seared. Remove to plate as you go.
• Add more oil if you need to, then add the celery, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mushrooms, bay leaves, broth, tomato paste, and Guinness; bring to a boil, then cover and put into the oven.
• Let the stew bubble away in the oven for two hours. Mean while, make the dumplings.
• In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cut in your bits of butter with a pastry cutter, and then stir in the cheese. Add milk, stirring until you get a wet dough. You may need more or less, use your judgment.
• Spoon out portions of the dough about the size of a ping pong ball, roll them with your hands, and place on a cookie sheet. Put them in the fridge to chill while the stew cooks.
• When the stew is finished, plop the dumplings in one at a time, pushing them under the juices, and then put a lid back on and allow them to cook for another 30 minutes.

Steps:

• To make the dumplings, rub together the flour, butter, and tarragon with a dash of salt and pepper. Stir in enough milk to give you an unsticky, stiff dough. Knead together, then roll into a large snake. Cut into 18 equal sized pieces and roll into balls. Place on a sheet, and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Move the tray to the fridge.
• Heat a deep, ovenproof dish about a foot in diameter with a bit of olive oil and the knob of butter in the bottom, over medium-high heat. Coat the rabbit pieces in flour and shake off any excess. Put half the rabbit pieces in the pot and cook about 5 minutes until golden all over. Take those pieces out and cook the other pieces. Once they're all cooked, add the first pieces back, as well as a big pinch of salt and pepper and the bacon. Cook until the bacon has crisped. Add the rosemary, mushrooms and onions and fry another ten minutes.
• Mix in a tablespoon of flour then pour in the chicken stock and beer. Cover and simmer for half an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Place the dumplings on top of the stew, about half an inch apart. Drizzle them with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes.