1 rabbit, jointed plain flour, for dusting
½ tbsp vegetable oil
2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons
1 carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 baby new potatoes, peeled and halved
1 celery stick, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
75ml white or red wine
250ml chicken stock
chopped parsley

Dust the rabbit in the flour. Heat the oil in a large flameproof dish and brown the rabbit all over until golden. Set the rabbit aside. Add the bacon, vegetables, garlic and herbs to the dish and fry for 5 mins until starting to colour.

Pour in the red wine and scrape all the goodness off the bottom of the dish. Add the chicken stock and put the rabbit back in the dish, then cover and cook for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally, until the rabbit is totally tender.

Serve scattered with parsley and Buttery Mashed potatoes or Basmati Rice, on the side.


How to joint a rabbit

1. Start by removing the hind legs; cut through the meat and the spine where the legs join the body
2. Cut the front legs away from the ribs
3. Cut between the rib cage and the saddle using a heavier knife to cut through the spine if necessary
4. Discard the ribcage and trim away any loose flesh from the saddle
5. Cut the saddle into two pieces through the backbone