1 fresh rabbit, skinned and drawn cut into 6 ( with a decent size rabbit the saddle can be cut into two)
2 sticks celery, washed trimmed and cut into 4 cm lengths, leaves chopped3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3 or 4 pieces each on a diagonal
4 onions finely sliced
4 whole cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 bottle red wine
water
fresh thyme ( dried if all available)
2 bay leaves
200g Agen prunes
20g 70% ( or higher) dark chocolate
Serves 4 big eaters.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Soften the onions with the garlic cloves in a slug of olive oil on a very low heat in a solid pan, add the rabbit pieces ( as well as heart and kidneys if you have them) and bring up the heat slightly while moving them around to seal. Transfer to a wide oven dish (preferably earthenware but a decent casserole which you know and trust will, I am sure, be fine) Place the rabbit around the dish and scatter in the carrot and celery. Tuck in the bay leaves, pour over the wine and top up with some more wine or water, until the rabbit is all but covered. Place a few stems of thyme across the top, as well as in between, salt and pepper, then cover with a lid or a tight fitting double layer of foil. Place in the middle of a low to medium oven ( 140-180 degrees) depending on size of rabit - older and bigger needs slower and lower. Cook for 2 hours, turning the rabbit over a couple of times. Take off the lid or foil and add the prunes, distributing fairly. Cook for a further hour. The wine should start to evaporate slightly and lose its alchohol by now and the rabbit should easily fall away from the bone. A couple of minutes before serving, remove from the oven and grate the chocolate over the casserole. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes to melt and amalgamate then serve with your favourite mash ( potato, parsnip, celeriac or swede ) or some good crusty bread. Never known not to hit the spot.
I taught my son to make this. When he cooked it for me he chose to pop the head in too (sans ears) and although I'm sure it's wholesome and such, it may not be to everyone's palate and so I leave it out here.
Lemon Curd
1 and a half large unwaxed lemons ( grated rind and juice)
75g caster sugar
2 good large eggs
50g unsalted butter
Gently melt the butter and remove from heat to cool slightly. Lightly beat the eggs and strain through a sieve onto the sugar, rind and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir them together then add the butter. Place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water. Keep stirring constantly over the gently simmering pan of water until the mixture thickens. Put in sterilized screw top jar and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, although mine never lasts that long. Spread generously on bread and butter, use as filling for a sponge cake or just enjoy a daily spoonful straight from the fridge as a pick me up.
This week sees the opening of the annual Lemon Festival in the beautiful coastal town of Menton. Years ago I enjoyed a few glasses of chilled home made Limoncello on the terrace of a hunting lodge high above Menton - it seemed to be the essence of lemon in a glass and was very far from many of the commercially made Limoncellos which often taste more like cough mixture.
More information about the festival can be found on the official web site: