Chanctonbury Rabbit Pappardelle

Chantonbury Rabbit Pappardelle pulled and tossed in a light zesty fennel infused jus stirred through pappardelle pasta with handfuls of shredded parsley, oregano and parmesan

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1kilo rabbit (cook whole)
1 large onion
1 carrot
1 celery stick
Half a leek
1 fennel
3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1 star anise
1tsp of pepper corns
3 juniper berries
Small bunch of oregano
500ml red wine
500ml chicken stock
500ml water
Parmesan shavings (to taste)

METHOD
Pre-heat the oven to 180*C

Peel and chop the carrot, onion, fennel, celery and leek into inch long pieces and brown in a large pan with a little oil. Once softened, place the vegetables in a large oven-proof dish and put to one side.

Seal the rabbit on each side in the now empty vegetable pan before adding to the oven-proof dish with the vegetables.

Add the chopped garlic, bay leaves, star anise, pepper corns, juniper berries, oregano, red wine, chicken stock and water. Cook in the oven for 4 to 5 hours or until the meat falls off the bones.

Once cooked allow to cool before carefully picking all the meat from the rabbit. Strain the stock into a pan to reduce and thicken slightly.

Chef’s tip: Keep some of the veg from the stock and crush into the liquid as it reduces to add a little extra body to the dish.

Cook the pappardelle pasta and drizzle with a little oil before chilling.

Chef’s tip: Cooking and chilling pasta to be reheated for use later has been shown to improve the starch quality and helps reduce blood sugar levels)

 

TO SERVE
Get a pan of water boiling ready for reheating your pasta, the rest won’t take long.

Take 100g of rabbit per serving, and add about 135ml (about a standard ladle full) of the reduced stock, add a good pinch of fresh chopped parsley and oregano and a little grated parmesan and give it all a good mix, when everything is hot and melded together splash your pasta into the hot water to take the chill off, drain well and add to the sauce mix. Give the whole pan a good toss to make sure the pasta get a nice coating of the sauce.

Now simply pile the pasta mix nice and high in the centre of your dish and dress with some extra parmesan shavings.

Chef’s tip: Garnish with a little lamb’s lettuce and red amaranth