DIRECTIONS

1. Season game hen pieces with salt and brown lightly in a stock pot over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side.
2. Drain off excess fat.
3. Add prosciutto, celery, carrots, onions, bay leaf and chicken stock.
4. Add more water if necessary until hen and vegetables are just covered.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Using a ladle, skim off any foam that floats to the top of the broth, cover and continue simmering for one hour or until hens are fork-tender.
8. Transfer hen pieces to a bowl, cover and keep warm.
9. Taste and season broth with salt and a generous grinding of pepper.
10. Bring broth and vegetables to a boil.
11. While game hen is simmering, make dumplings.
12. Sieve flour for dumpling, baking powder and salt together into a medium mixing bowl.
13. Add melted butter and mix briefl y with a fork to moisten.
14. Add milk and chopped parsley and fold ingredients gently into a soft dough.
15. Using a dessert spoon, scoop spoonfuls of dumpling mixture and drop them into the boiling broth.
16. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes without peeking.
17. While dumplings are cooking, make a roux by melting 2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan then adding the fl our and stirring until combined.
18. When the dumplings are done, ladle and add about 2 cups of only the broth, a bit at a time, to the roux over medium heat, whisking continuously until mixture thickens like gravy.
19. To serve, divide portions of game hens onto four soup plates or pasta bowls.
20. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer a portion of dumplings onto each plate.
21. Add thickened gravy to the broth and vegetables; stir to mix then spoon over hen and dumplings and serve.