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Skin and joint a medium sized rabbit, ideally a nice tender youngster. Soak in salt water for a few hours, ideally overnight. Heat some butter in a saucepan, and brown the rabbit portions on a medium high heat until nicely browned on both sides. Peel and chop a medium onion whilst the rabbit is browning. Remove the rabbit from the pan and set aside, Pop a can of dry cider, deglaze the pan with a glug have a glug or two yourself
Turn down the heat a little and add the onion to the pan, adding a little more butter if needed and soften for about 10 minutes. Add some mushrooms and heat for another 4 or 5 minutes. Put in a couple of tablespoons of plain flour and stir to soak up all the juices. Return the rabbit to the pan and cover with cider and have a few more glugs yourself. Bring to the boil then turn down to a gentle simmer. Add a crumbled chicken stock cube, a good handful of chopped tarragon, some pepper (no need for salt as the stock cube will provide this). Simmer very gently for a about an hour or hour and a half, until the rabbit is tender. Add a little more cider if necessary to ensure the rabbit stays covered.
Fish out the rabbit portions and pick the meat off the bone and return it to the pan. Add a good hefty glug of double cream to the pan warm for a minute or two then put the contents of the pan in a casserole dish. Par boil some potatoes then cut into thin slices and lay on top of the casserole mix. Brush with melted butter and season. Place in an oven at about 180 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour - or until the potato topping is crisp and golden.
Serve with asparagus and a nice cider
Variations. Coriander works well instead of tarragon, you can use natural yoghurt instead of cream and some cubed sweet potato added at the same time as the mushrooms works well.
Turn down the heat a little and add the onion to the pan, adding a little more butter if needed and soften for about 10 minutes. Add some mushrooms and heat for another 4 or 5 minutes. Put in a couple of tablespoons of plain flour and stir to soak up all the juices. Return the rabbit to the pan and cover with cider and have a few more glugs yourself. Bring to the boil then turn down to a gentle simmer. Add a crumbled chicken stock cube, a good handful of chopped tarragon, some pepper (no need for salt as the stock cube will provide this). Simmer very gently for a about an hour or hour and a half, until the rabbit is tender. Add a little more cider if necessary to ensure the rabbit stays covered.
Fish out the rabbit portions and pick the meat off the bone and return it to the pan. Add a good hefty glug of double cream to the pan warm for a minute or two then put the contents of the pan in a casserole dish. Par boil some potatoes then cut into thin slices and lay on top of the casserole mix. Brush with melted butter and season. Place in an oven at about 180 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour - or until the potato topping is crisp and golden.
Serve with asparagus and a nice cider
Variations. Coriander works well instead of tarragon, you can use natural yoghurt instead of cream and some cubed sweet potato added at the same time as the mushrooms works well.
