Rabbit Ragu

To go along with our Game Terrine on our Game Night Part Deux, hubby and I decided on a rabbit dish.  A brief trundle along the internet brought up a Jamie Oliver recipe for 12 hour Rabbit Bolognase and as we have known from previous experience all Jamie Oliver's recipes "just bloody work", so of course we had to give it a go and let me tell you there is nothing but fun and enjoyment from this recipe!

Yes, it takes a long time, but for most of it you have to do bugger all, the oven takes the strain and you are left with a truly wonderful rich, unctuous ragu that really does serve 14 people as a little goes a long way so very cost efficient, it has left us with plenty to freeze.

Rabbit Ragu

Serves 14

Olive oil
3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 whole rabbit, skinned but with offal
1 bulb of garlic, left whole
2 leeks, chunky chopped
2 carrots, chunky chopped
2 celery sticks, chunky chopped
2 red onions, halved
20g dried porcini mushrooms
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
500ml light beer, we used Pedigree
2 tbsp tomato puree
S&P
1/2 nutmeg for grating

Fresh thyme

Pre-heat oven to 110oc/ 1/4 GM.  In a large casserole pan heat the olive oil and add the bacon.  Cook until lightly golden then add the bay leaves, rosemary rabbit and offal.  Tip over the garlic, leek, carrot, celery, onions and dried mushrooms.  Pour over the tinned tomatoes, beer, tomato puree and just enough water to cover everything.  Bring to the boil and season well.  Grate over half the nutmeg and pop into the oven for 12 hours.  We did this just before going to bed and awoke to wonderful smells from the kitchen all night.

Fresh out of the oven after 12 hours.

The following morning we took the dish out of the oven and left to cool, then with a couple of mixing bowls at the ready went through the ragu a small handful at a time picking out the bunny bones and stalky bits of veg, the rest of the veg was squished and the rabbit flaked.  Go though this twice, because you will miss some of those tiny bones.  Pour everything back into the pan and when ready to serve, re-heat, check the seasoning, add the zest of a lemon and some thyme tips. 

Serve over 'big' pasta, like tagliatelle or penne, something that will really hold the sauce, grate over some Parmesan and om nom, nom

After being 'sieved' by hand and meat shredded.