Ingredients

• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• or 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 15g/½oz butter
• 2-3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large farmed rabbit or 2 young wild rabbits
• jointed into 8 pieces
• 6 rashers rindless smoked streaky bacon
• cut into 2cm/¾in squares
• 2 onions
• chopped
• 500ml/17fl oz dry cider
• 300ml/10fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 350g/12oz chantenay carrots
• peeled
• 150g/5oz frozen peas

Directions

• Place the flour
• thyme and a good pinch of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper in a large freezer bag. Put the rabbit portions into the bag
• a few at a time
• and shake well until evenly coated in the seasoned flour. Transfer to a plate.
• Melt the butter with one tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the rabbit
• a few pieces at a time
• until golden-brown all over. Put all the front and rear leg portions into a flameproof casserole dish.
• Transfer the saddle pieces to a plate
• cover loosely and set aside (these will need less cooking time
• so can be added later on). Preheat the oven to 170C/340F/Gas 3½.
• Add a little more oil to the pan and cook the bacon until the fat is browned and beginning to crisp. Add the bacon to the casserole dish.
• Add a dash more oil to the frying pan and fry the onion for 5-7 minutes
• or until lightly browned and beginning to soften. Add the onions to the casserole
• sprinkle with any flour remaining in the freezer bag and stir until well combined.
• Pour half of the cider into the frying pan and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to lift any sediment from the bottom. Simmer for a few seconds then pour into the casserole. Add the rest of the cider and the stock. Stir the bay leaves into the casserole
• cover with a lid and cook in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes.
• Remove the casserole from the oven
• add the reserved saddle pieces and carrots
• turn all the rabbit portions
• ensuring that as much of the meat is covered by liquid as possible. (Not all the meat will be covered.) Return to the oven for a further 1-2 hours.
• Take the casserole out of the oven after one hour and check the rabbit – the meat should be starting to fall off the bone when the rabbit is ready. Poke the leg portions and the saddle pieces with a knife and if it doesn’t slide in easily
• return the casserole to the oven. Check again for tenderness and turn the rabbit portions every 30 minutes or so.
• When the rabbit is tender
• skim off any fat that may have risen to the top of the casserole with a large spoon. Carefully transfer the casserole to the hob. Bring to a fast simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes
• or until the liquid reduces to a slightly thickened
• gravy-like consistency. Stir in the frozen peas and simmer for a further three minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.