Rabbit and Dumplings
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Dumplings
  • 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup non-fat dry, powdered milk
  • ¼ cup baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 1 cup whole milk, plus more if needed
Rabbit
  • 1 (2.5 pound) whole rabbit with organ meats (optional)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups roughly chopped yellow onion
  • 1 cup roughly chopped celery
  • 1 cup roughly chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
  • 8 cups dark chicken stock, plus more if needed
Instructions
Dumplings
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, dry milk, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix together. While whisking, slowly drizzle the canola oil. Continue whisking until the mix becomes wet with a meal-like texture. If you like, this mix can now be covered, refrigerated, and held until ready to make the dumpling batter.
  2. To make the batter, whisk half of the milk into the mix until thoroughly combined. Continue adding milk until the mixture becomes wet and very thick but not runny like pancake batter. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Rabbit
  1. Cut the rabbit into quarters and then cut the back in half. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Unpackage the organ meats, if using. Rinse them in cold water and reserve.
  3. In a large cast-iron pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is smoking, add the rabbit skin-side down. Brown the rabbit on all sides and remove to a platter.
  4. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and carrots, along with the remaining oil, if needed. Cook until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, in another pan over high heat, add the chicken stock and all the rabbit organ meats, if using. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the organ meats and chop into very small pieces. Add the organ meats to the pot with the vegetables.
  6. Add the rabbit pieces to the pot and pour over the chicken stock. Cover and let cook on the stovetop at a simmer for 1 hour.
  7. Check to see that the rabbit is fork-tender, and there is still sufficient liquid in the pot. If not, add additional stock. Turn off the heat until ready to add the dumplings to finish the dish.
  8. Bring the pot containing the rabbit and stock to a boil. Lower the hit to a simmer. Using a large spoon, scoop a 1-tablespoon-size portion of the dumpling mix. Drop the dumplings into the stock around the rabbit pieces. Place them so that they are not touching. Let simmer uncovered on the stove top for 10 minutes. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot covered. Serve immediately.
Notes
While you can cook the rabbit and vegetables in advance and hold, once the dumplings are added you should serve this dish immediately while they are light and fluffy. Waiting or cooking ahead will allow the dumplings to become dense and tough. I do not recommend reheating the leftover dumplings on the day after. Learn how to make dark chicken stock with my recipe here.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/?p=14193