Reindeer Stew (Reinsdyrgryte) with Thyme Dumplings

Serves 4

600g reindeer meat (preferably shoulder), cut into cubes
150g bacon, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
400ml game stock (or use beef stock)
½ bottle decent red wine
200g button mushrooms, sliced
3 juniper berries, lightly crushed
1 bay leaf
2tbsp plain flour

For the dumplings:

200g self-raising flour
105g butter
2tbsp thyme, chopped
a little water

1. Fry the bacon in a little olive oil in a suitable casserole pan. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and continue to cook gently until softened then remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

2. Dust the reindeer meat with seasoned flour, add a bit more oil to the pan and turn up the heat. Brown the reindeer meat; you may need to do this in two batches.

3. Add the cooked vegetables back into the pan, along with the wine, stock, mushrooms, bay leaf and juniper berries and bring to the simmer.

4. Meanwhile, to make the thyme dumplings, place the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until you get a fine breadcrumb-like consistency. Now add a touch of water gradually, until you get a firm, but not too wet dough. Form the dough into golf ball-sized balls and float them on the top of the stew, cover and cook on a very low heat for 1½ – 2 hours. Serve with lots of buttered green beans.

(NordicNibbler.com)