Pa's Rabbit

My Dad's been preparing Rabbit recipes ever since he bred "show" rabbits as a kid in Holland... the ones who didn't make the grade went into the pot (9 kids in the family - nothing wasted!)This one I grew up with in New Zealand. I make it here in Holland now but farmed bunnies seem to need more herbs to give them flavour.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  rabbit
•  salt
•  pepper
• 250 -375  g butter
• 1 -1 1⁄2 cup hot water
•  bouquet garni (optional)
• 1  onion (optional)

Directions

1. Melt butter in saucepan and saute onion.
2. Heat butter mixture until golden brown.
3. Fry rabbit in butter until evenly browned and sealed.
4. Add the water and simmer for 1-5 hours with the water only *just* moving because the meat will toughen if it boils.
5. My dad usually makes this without the bouquet garni in the pot-- he gets wild rabbits on the farm in New Zealand and they seem to be strong enough in flavour to not need it.
6. I buy my bunnies in the Dutch supermarket and think that the additional herbs*are* needed as these are farmed rabbits and don't have the same taste.