White Rabbit

After a couple of weeks of eating our way through more than 10kgs of tomatoes, I wanted rabbit but I wanted it white. I found a similar recipe on the net but simplified it to suit my pantry (white wine rather than verjuice, dijon mustard rather than truffled mustard and sour cream instead of mascarpone). I cooked this on the stove top, but you could do it in a slow to moderate oven too. The prep time is a bit of a guess-I'm expecting most people would get their rabbit already in pieces-I had to cut my own wild rabbit up!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  kg rabbit joint, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1  tablespoon  oil
• 1  onion, finely sliced (I had to use red)
• 40  g pancetta, roughly chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1⁄2 cup white wine
• 1  cup  chicken stock
• 1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄3 cup  chopped parsley
• 2  tablespoons light sour cream

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy lidded pan and add the rabbit, turning to seal on all sides. Remove to a plate.
2. Add the onion and pancetta and cook for a couple of minutes until the onion is softened, add the garlic and cook a minute or so more.
3. Add the wine, stock, mustard thyme and bay leaf and stir to combine scraping any brown bits off the bottom. Bring to the boil.
4. Return the rabbit to the pan, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cover.
5. Cook over a low heat for around two hours or until the rabbit is very tender.
6. Remove the rabbit and keep warm.
7. Bring the liquid to a fast boil and cook until it's a sauce consistency. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sour cream and parsley.
8. We served the rabbit and this sauce over mash.