Sunday, April 12, 2009

Rabbit in Cider (rabbit is traditional at easter)

Ingredients
900g Rabbit Joints (or 1 medium rabbit jointed)
25g Butter
2 Onions (chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
225g Bacon (cut into chunks)
225g Mushrooms (sliced, you can grill them first for extra flavour but that is optional)
1 Tablespoon Plain Flour
275ml Cider (dry not sweet)
275ml Stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 Sprig Thyme
6 Juniper Berries (optional but add a nice tanginess)
A Splash of Oil
Salt and Pepper for Seasoning

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Garlic Press
1 Large Casserole

The Good Bit
  1. Start by heating the butter and oil in a flameproof casserole and frying the rabbit joints quickly to brown them all over. Now remove them to one side and fry the onions, garlic and bacon for about 10 minutes.
  2. Next sprinkle in the flour, stir and cook for a minute before gradually stirring in the cider and the stock, at this stage add the rabbit joints, together with the thyme and crushed juniper berries and bring to simmering point.
  3. Then add the sliced mushrooms and a seasoning of salt and freshly milled black pepper. Cover and simmer the rabbit very gently for about an hour, or until it's tender.
Serves 4