Rabbit in Cider

It would be nice to say that this was a wild bunny, but alas it was a "stall hase", though at least a fresh one.

1 dressed rabbit (skinned, paunched but the edible innards intact)

100g of speck or diced smoked streaky bacon

3 tbsp. of vegetable oil

400ml dry cider

500ml chicken stock ( I used a knorr stock pot)

Bunch of mixed herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary, and lavage)

2 bay leaves

I large onion diced

3 cloves of garlic

½ tsp. cloves

5 juniper berries

5 allspice berries

Bunch diced soup vegetables (carrots, celeriac, leek, parsley stalks) diced

Salt and pepper

  

So the was rabbit home and lying on its back on the block, I like getting the whole rabbit including the head as this and some of the innards make a smashing stock.

First remove the lungs, heart, kidneys and liver. Set the liver to one side (don’t cook this together with the rest) cut the head off and then cut the rabbit into its portions, 2 hind legs, 2 front legs, cut the saddle into 3 sections, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

Heat the oil in a roasting pan, add the speck and half of the onions and root vegetables slightly brown, add the rabbit pieces and half of the herbs and brown a little. Now add 200ml of the cider and 100ml of stock, cover and put into a pre-heated oven at 180°C (fan assisted).

In a saucepan, heat the remainder of the oil and soften the onion and then add the remainder of the root vegetables, put in the rabbit head along with any off cuts (belly flaps, heart, kidney’s, lungs and leg ends) into the pan and colour add the remainder of the cider and stock, add remaining herbs add spices. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer.

Check the bunny in the oven, when it is cooked through, remove the rabbit pieces, set aside covered and pour the remaining liquid through a sieve into the sauce pan bubble up the stock, pour all through a sieve and adjust seasoning add a knob of cold butter (you can thicken with a mixture of butter and flour but I prefer a thin sauce).  

Served with either plain boiled potatoes, spätzle, dumplings, a few nice winter vegetables, (kale, cabbage, sprouts, cauliflower or even bok choi) to drink, the remainder of the cider an when that is all gone open another bottle.

Cheers, I hope you enjoy it!a .