Rabbit stew, dumplings and a walk in the park

It was a long weekend, so I have been slowly emptying my freezer ready for the bounties of the new hunting season.

I had a couple of rabbit saddles, that required eating so I decided on Rabbit stewed in cider with dumplings.

I prepared the two rabbit saddles, chopped them into pieces and dusted them in mixed herb, salt and pepper flour.

I diced some root vegetables (carrot, leek celeriac) Picked some fresh herbs from my balcony.

herbal sea salt, leek, carrot, celeriac, piece of caulifower, bouquet garni, pepper corns,  parsley, 2 cloves, a few juniper berries.

Next browned the rabbit in a frying pan and added on top of the veg along with the bouquet garni.

 

I then chopped up half a large onion, sautéd it with some chopped juniper hot cured belly and 3 crushed cloves of garlic in  the same frying pan, opened a bottle of cider and add 330ml to the pan. poured this on top of the rabbit in the Slow Cooker.

Made 6 suet, speck and onion dumplings and put these in the SC, put the top on set it on high for 5 hours and went for a walk in the Rheda Schloß Park to enjoy the wonderful autumn weather and the colours of the leaves.



the Schloß through the trees





The newly renovated mill wheel





The  autumn reflections from the carp pool



The miandering Emms



The Schloß from the river bank

I returned from my walk (and a couple of beers) to finish off the meal.

I made savoy cabbage, with diced bacon, and a mustard sauce.

sautéed brown mushrooms, and onions

The finished rabbit stew and dumplings

The wonderful Autumn meal.

  So that was a nice way to spend a day when here in NRW people go to the grave yards, tidy up the graves of the deceased and put red lights on them that twinkle in the dark.

So I thought I would post a few red sparklers of my own