RABBIT PIE

 

Rabbit! You either love it or not! We really like it in our household. Unfortunately we only eat it every once and a while because it it hard to get where we live. However, we have now found a butcher who gets some every week.... This was a wild rabbit, and the difference from farmed ones is that the meat is tougher and therefore you need to either stew it or cook it with a sauce. Someone suggested to have curry. I have never tried it this way, but I can see that it can be very nice. Maybe using a recipe for chicken. Anyway, this pie recipe is easy to make and it always turns up delicious. I have made it with bought puff pastry in the past and it worked well, but yesterday I made my own pastry in the Thermomix. It was delicious even though I am not very good with pastry. People who are good at it will see what I mean in the photos below....😊

Ingredients

1 large rabbit

2 onions, peeled and quartered

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 fresh bay leaf

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 rashers streaky smoked bacon, rinds removed (I used normal bacon)

2 leeks, white part only, sliced 

50g butter

3 Tbsp plain flour

2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley and chervil

Puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

Method:

Place rabbit, onions, carrots and bay leaf in a large saucepan, cover with water and simmer for about 1 hour.

Remove rabbit and set aside.

Strain broth over a bowl and then put in a smaller saucepan and reduce over high heat to about one and a half cups.

Shred meat and place in a bowl.

This part was done in the Thermomix, so I'll put both methods below.

TM method:

Place leeks and bacon into mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then add olive oil and sauté 5 min/120°C/speed 1.

Conventional method:

Heat oil in a frying pan, add bacon and leeks and fry until tender.

Add to the rabbit.

TM method:

Place butter in mixing bowl and melt 3 min / 100 ° C / speed 1.
Add flour and cook 3 min / 100 ° C / speed 1 .
Add reserved stock, salt and pepper and cook 6 min / 90 ° C / speed 4. 

Conventional method:

Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved stock. Bring to the boil and whisk until thickened and smooth.

Add enough sauce to the rabbit mixture to generously moisten it. 

Stir in the herbs and season. Allow to cool.

In the meantime, you can make the puff pastry if you are not using the bought one. Again I am going to put both recipes at the end of this post.

Spoon the mixture into a large deep ceramic pie dish, a large ramekin or into individual ones. If using a large one, insert a pie funnel (if using).

Preheat the oven to 190 C.

Roll out the pastry and cover the pie, pressing down on edges to seal and trimming any excess.

Brush with beaten egg and bake for 40 - 45 minutes for a large pie, or for about 30 minutes for single ones, or until golden.

Serves 4 - 5

Puff pastry

TM method:

200g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (1-2 cm) and frozen
200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
90g chilled water
½ tsp salt

Place butter, plain flour, chilled water and salt into mixing bowl and mix 5 sec/speed 6.

Transfer pastry dough onto a lightly floured silicone bread mat or work surface then shape into a ball and flatten into a rough square. Wrap pastry square in plastic wrap and place into refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Unwrap dough and place onto a lightly floured silicone bread mat or work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough into a long rectangle 3 times as long as it is wide (approx. 60 x 20 cm). Fold dough into thirds and give folded dough a quarter turn to the left. Repeat rolling and folding process twice, then return to refrigerator for 20 minutes or place into freezer for 5 minutes before using.

Conventional method:

250g plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

175g butter, chilled and diced

About 150ml chilled water

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl, add butter and rub in roughly; you want to see bits of butter. 

Make a well and pour in about two-thirds of the water, mixing with a large knife until you have a dough that comes together. Add a little extra water if needed.

Gently press together into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and roll to make a rectangle about 20cm x 35cm.

Fold one third of the rectangle into the middle and then the other third on top (like a folding letter).

Give it a turn and roll out again. Fold as before and repeat once more.

Chill for at least 30 minutes before using.