Country dinner time

With friends arriving for dinner tonight came the perfect opportunity to enjoy
two of the large rabbits given to us by local hunters.

Rabbit does not seem to be a popular meat these days, at least in the UK but it was once a staple of the general diet. Rabbits fed the hungry farm labourers and their many children and graced the tables of stately homes. On great estates special warrens would be constructed to encourage the rabbits to breed. Rabbit has always been a favourite in Spain and one theory that suggests that the country's name is derived from some ancient form of “land of the rabbits.”

We decided to make a rich but simple rabbit casserole. Ask your butcher for rabbit, and it will come skinned and prepared. Take:

Two jointed rabbits
Three large chopped onions
One finely chopped red pepper
Two or three sliced carrots
400-500 grams of white beans, chick peas or lentils (it's easiest to use a jar or can so they are already soft but if you want to be traditional, use the hard dry versions and soak them overnight first)
One pack or jar of tomato frito (puree)
A handful of chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, marjoram, chives and sage. Or use dried herbs.
Salt and pepper
Bay leaf
About three quarters of a bottle of red wine
Water

Put everything in a large casserole pan and bring almost to the boil on the stove. Then remove, place tinfoil over the top to seal and put the lid on. Put in the oven at high temperature for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat and cook slowly for four or five hours.

For a starter we made a cool and lovely chilled vichyssoise (which is fancy French for leek and potato soup) Take:

One pound of peeled and cubed potatoes
One pound of leeks, with green tops removed, cleaned well, and sliced
Water
Chicken or vegetable stock, use a cube
Salt and pepper
Cream

Put the potatoes and leeks in a big pot with water and boil. Add the stock and perhaps a bit of salt but not too much. Grind in some black pepper. When the vegetables are soft, take off the heat and allow to cool for an hour or so. Whiz everything in a food processor and pour into a serving bowl. Stir in single cream and put in the fridge for a couple of hours to cool. Serve with hot crusty bread and a dish of butter.

For pudding we served fruit crumble, made with apples, the sweet white plums given to Sharon yesterday, currants, four cloves, and brown sugar.

In case someone really didn't fancy rabbit, we also made a fresh quiche with ham and mushrooms.

To drink – Buck's Fizz at first, which we made with Spanish cava and orange juice. At the table there was red or white wine and cold beer.

Simple stuff and delicious in the cool of a summer evening.

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©Phillip Bruce 2009