To some people, rabbit is scary and they won’t even try cooking it. But just think of a rabbit as a speedier chicken and have a go. If the rabbit is wild it will have more flavour than a farmed bunny, although either is fine in this pie.
Ingredients
Poached Rabbit
- 1 rabbit, preferably wild
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 100 g celeriac, diced
- 100 g carrots, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 sprig of fresh sage
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 200 ml meat stock
- 200 ml cider
- salt and black pepper
Pie Filling
- 20 g butter
- 100 g dry-cure streaky bacon
- 150 g leeks, diced
- 15 g plain white flour
- 20 g fresh curly parley, chopped
To Finish
- 700 g puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 150°C. Season the rabbit inside and out, then place in a casserole.
- Add all the other poaching ingredients with some salt and pepper. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour.
- Lift out the rabbit and set aside. Pour the liquid and vegetables into a sieve set over a bowl to strain the liquid. Discard the herb stalks. Reserve the liquid and vegetables separately.
- Pick the meat from the rabbit, discarding all skin and bones. Cut the meat into chunks.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the bacon for 4–5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add the leeks and sweat for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add the reserved cooking liquid, mixing in well, then add the reserved poaching vegetables and rabbit meat. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the parsley, stir and remove from the heat. Check the seasoning. Allow to cool completely.
- Assemble and bake the pie. Serve hot.
