Jamie Oliver's Rabbit Stew With Dumplings

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 14 tablespoons butter
• 1 bunch fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• milk
• 1/2 a nutmeg
• 2 rabbit, jointed and cut into 10 pieces
• flour
• olive oil
• 1 couple tablespoons butter
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 10 slices bacon, finely sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 9 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and torn (field, shitake, or oyster)
• 1 large handful baby onion, peeled
• 1 1/2 pints chicken stock

Recipe

• 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 40 minutes.