Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb (680g) Rabbit, cut into serving pieces
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) Olive Oil
  • 1 large Onion, chopped
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 Celery Stalks, chopped
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp (30g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup (240ml) Dry Red Wine
  • 4 cups (950ml) Chicken or Vegetable Broth
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
  • 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) Tomato Paste
  • Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
  • 2 Parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 2 small Turnips, peeled and chopped
  • 1 lb (450g) Small Potatoes (Yukon Gold or new potatoes), halved or quartered
  • 1 cup (120g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1.5 tsp (7g) Baking Powder
  • 0.5 tsp (2.5g) Salt
  • 4 tbsp (57g) Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Milk
  • 2 tbsp (packed) Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Chives, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Season rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear rabbit pieces in batches until browned on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  4. Gradually pour in red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add chicken broth, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Return rabbit to the pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the rabbit is tender and almost falling off the bone.
  6. Add parsnips, turnips, and potatoes to the pot. Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
  7. While the stew simmers with vegetables, make the dumplings. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk, parsley, and chives until just combined. Do not overmix.
  8. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto the simmering stew, spacing them evenly. Cover the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through and lightly golden on top. (Test with a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling – it should come out clean.)
  9. Let the stew rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Remove bay leaves, rosemary and thyme sprigs before serving.