Rabbit Cacciatore

INGREDIENTS

RABBIT
600g of rabbit leg, bones removed from the thighs but left in the legs

15g of plain flour

15ml of extra virgin olive oil

salt

freshly ground black pepper

CACCIATORE
60g of pancetta, chopped into lardons

1 carrot, diced

1 onion, diced

1 stick of celery, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5g of chopped rosemary

200g of mixed wild mushrooms, sliced

75ml of white wine

2 tbsp of tomato paste

500ml of chicken stock

3 dried chillies

1 handful of black olives, pitted

1 tbsp of baby capers

TO SERVE
sprigs of chervil

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 195°C/gas mark 5½

2. Season the rabbit legs with salt and pepper and dust with the plain flour. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and colour the legs lightly on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside

3. Place a separate ovenproof pan or casserole dish over a medium heat and add the pancetta, carrot, onion, celery, garlic and rosemary. Fry together gently, allowing the vegetables to soften in the fat released from the pancetta. Add the mushrooms and wine to the pan and stir, cooking for 5 minutes until the liquid evaporates

4. In a separate jug, mix the tomato paste into the chicken stock until dissolved and combined. Pour the stock over the vegetables, adding the rabbit, dried chillies, capers and olives to the pan. Put the lid on the dish and transfer to the preheated oven, cooking for 45–50 minutes until the rabbit is cooked through

5. To serve, place the dish in the centre of the table and serve hot, garnished with a few sprigs of fresh chervil