Roast Rabbit With Pancetta Recipe

If you love a roast dinner but are looking for something new, why not switch up the meat for something a little more gamey? This tender and delicious rabbit roast is a perfect family dish, taken from our very own Lidgate’s cookbook. We’re also offering a special discount on Rabbit Legs, so it’s the perfect time to give this recipe a try.

INGREDIENTS

4 Rabbit Legs

6 small sprigs of tarragon

3 1/2 ounce thin-cut smoked pancetta or smoked streaky bacon

2 banana shallots

2 celery sticks

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

Knob of butter

1 teaspoon plain flour

7 ounces hot chicken stock

1/4 pint full-fat crème fraiche

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon

METHOD

1.    Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.

2.    Season the rabbit joints with a little salt and a fair amount of pepper. Lay slices of pancetta over the legs so that they fit snugly, tucking the ends underneath.

3.    Put the shallots and celery in a roasting tray and place the rabbit on top. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the pancetta is crisp and the rabbit is cooked through but still juicy. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and a couple of tea towels, and leave in a warm place.

4.    To make the sauce, put the roasting tray on the hob over a medium-low heat. Melt the butter in it, then sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Gradually add the hot stock, stirring hard as you do so to mix it with the flour and scraping up any tasty bits in the bottom of the pan. If using rabbit offal, add it now as it will give extra flavour to the stock. Stir in the crème fraîche and mustard and leave to simmer for a couple of minutes. Bring to the boil and bubble away to thicken slightly. Strain the liquid into a jug and stir in the chopped tarragon.

5.    Put the rabbit pieces on warm plates and pour some sauce onto each plate and serve with potatoes and a crisp green salad or green beans.