Rabbit with Bacon and Turnips
Whereas most meats give us a choice of cooking on the bone or not, wild rabbit is one that really needs its bones if it is not to be dry. It is not the meatiest of choices, so you need to be generous with quantities here. Rabbit bones are small, and it’s important to watch out for the tinier ones. The turnips in this provide all the carbs you need to soak up the sauce. It just needs some purple sprouting broccoli on the side.
Recipe information
Yield
enough for 3
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Season the rabbit and dust it lightly with a little flour. Melt the butter in a little oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. Lightly brown the rabbit on all sides, then remove from the pan.
Step 2
While the rabbit is browning, cut the pancetta into thick strips or cubes, then peel and chop the shallots. Once the rabbit is out, add the bacon and shallots to the pan and cook over fairly low heat until the shallots are soft but not colored. Cut the turnips into thick wedges and add them to the pan, together with 2 tablespoons of flour. Continue cooking briefly, then pour in the Marsala and stock. Bring to a boil, stirring gently.
Step 3
Return the rabbit legs to the pan, but retain the saddle for the moment. Decrease the heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer for an hour and ten minutes, adding the saddle halfway through, until the meat is tender enough to slip from the bones with relative ease.
Step 4
Coarsely chop the parsley and stir into the pan with the cream. Check the seasoning and serve.
