2 sm Wild rabbits; skinned and
; paunched
MARINADE
1/2 pt Dry white wine
2 tb Dry sherry
2 tb Olive oil
7 Juniper berries; crushed (7
-to 8)
1 Clove garlic; crushed
3 Sprigs thyme; (3 to 4)
2 Torn sage leaves; (2 to 3)
2 Bay leaves
TO COOK
2 oz Rendered duck fat or butter
Drained; marinated rabbit
; meat cut into 1″
; dice
1 4 ounces thi cut mild bacon;
-rinded and cut into
; cubes
1 Onion; finely chopped
4 oz Button mushrooms; cut in
-half
Marinade liquid; strained
1/2 pt Rabbit stock
1 tb Plain flour; seasoned
1 tb Dijon mustard
2 Sprigs fresh thyme
2 Sage leaves
1 Bay leaf
BRAISED CABBAGE
1 sm Red cabbage
1 lg Onion; finely chopped
3 Cox’s apples; peeled, cored
-and
; diced
Grated nutmeg
2 Cinnamon sticks; broken
2 tb Amontillado sherry
2 tb Red wine vinegar
3 tb Brown sugar
4 tb Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Start this dish the day before you need it. Make it in 4 individual pie
pots for presentation’s sake. Wild rabbits have a better flavour than
farmed, if you can get them.
Ask you butcher or game dealer to remove the thick blue skin from the
rabbits. With a sharp filleting knife, remove the hind legs and using the
thick thigh part only, cut off the meat and reserve the bones and thinner
bits of the leg for stock. Cut off the forelegs and use for stock.
Taking the saddle with the backbone uppermost, cut down either side of the
backbone and, slicing the knife along the back rib cage, remove both
fillets from the saddle. Put all the prepared meat in the marinade
overnight in the refrigerator.
Make a stock using all the bones and trimmings, or use a brown chicken
stock – throw the rabbit trimmings in and simmer for an hour or so to
extract the rabbit flavour.
Make a 11/2lb batch of Old Vic Foolproof Pastry (see recipe index). Use
1/2lb and freeze the rest for later. Rest the pastry in the fridge until
the next day.
To cook the rabbit, toss the meat lightly in the seasoned flour, shaking
off any excess. Fry the onion, bacon and mushrooms and remove from the pan.
Fry the rabbit pieces to sear on all sides.
Blend the mustard into the marinade liquid. Gradually add the marinade
liquid to the pan, stirring well, and bring to the boil. Boil hard to
reduce and drive off the alcohol. Add the stock. The mixture should have
thickened a little.
Add the meat, mushroom mixture and fresh herbs. Season lightly – remember
the flavour will concentrate whilst cooking in the oven.
Tip the stew into an ovenproof casserole with a lid and cook at 140C/gas 3
for about 11/2 hours, depending on how big the pieces of rabbit are. Check
for tenderness.
Correct the seasoning and remove the herbs. Divide the stew between pie
dishes and allow to cool. Roll out 4 pastry lids to fit the dishes. With
the trimmings, put a strip round the edge of the dishes and cut decorative
leaves out too.
Top the dishes with pastry. Knock together the edges with the back of a
knife. Make a skewer whole in the top to let out the steam and decorate
with pastry leaves. Brush with beaten egg and milk and bake at 200C/gas 6
for about 20-25 minutes until the pastry is cooked and golden.
Braised red cabbage: remove the cabbage core and finely shred the leaves.
continued in part 2
Yields
1 servings