PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED RABBIT WITH EGGPLANT CREAM AND STEWED TOMATO 

Combine tarragon and butter and season to taste.

Using poultry shears, cut rabbit loin on the bone into 4 pieces. Cut a 2cm slit in each rabbit leg and press a little butter mixture into each slit, rub loin pieces with remaining butter. Wrap slices of prosciutto around each leg and loin piece.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan, add rabbit pieces in batches and all over. Place browned rabbit pieces in a roasting pan, add olives and tomato ,season to taste and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cover tightly with foil and cook at 180C for 35-40 minutes or until thickest part of legs is tender when pierced with a knife.

For eggplant cream, place eggplant halves, Cut side up, on a foil-lined baking tray, sprinkle with salt and roast on the top shelf of oven with the rabbit for 40 minutes or until very soft.  Scoop flesh from eggplant. Process eggplant flesh and cream in a food processor until smooth, add chives and season to taste.

Spoon a little eggplant cream onto 4 plates, top with pieces of rabbit, drizzle with pan juices and place tomato halves to one side.

PEPPERED RABBIT WITH FENNEL, WATERCRESS AND ORANGE SALAD AND HAZELNUT-OIL DRESSING 

For hazelnut dressing, combine all ingredients, ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl and whisk well.  

Cut leg fillets into 3 pieces. Combine cracked Pepper, orange rind and tarragon on a large plate. Rub rabbit meat with olive oil, then roll to coat in Pepper mixture. Heat a large, heavy based pan until very hot and sear rabbit in batches over high   Heat until browned all over. Transfer to an oven tray and roast at 190C for 10 minutes or until just tender. Remove from oven and rest, covered, in a warm place for 5 minutes.  Combine fennel, orange and half the dressing, mix well and stand for 10 minutes for flavours to develop. Add remaining dressing, watercress and sliced rabbit and toss gently to combine. Divide salad among 4 plates and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as an entrée or light lunch

DRUNKEN RABBIT 

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy pot and brown the Rabbit all over. Remove to a dish. Add the onion, carrot and bacon and place the lid on the pot. Allow the vegetables to sweat for about 7 minutes.

Place the rabbit on the bed of vegetables and bacon, Season with salt and pepper and pour over the beer. Add the sugar, bouquet garni and mustard. Bring the liquid to the boil, cover the pot and allow to simmer on a very low heat for 1 ½ hours or until the rabbit is very tender. When the rabbit is cooked, skim any fat from the surface. If necessary, thicken the sauce with arrowroot mixed with a little water. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley before serving.

Serves 4

RABBIT RILLETTES WITH QUINCE AND APPLE VINEGAR CHUTNEY 

Rillettes is a delicious French version of potted meat. The meat or meats are cooked in fat until very tender, then pounded or shredded almost to a paste.

QUINCE AND APPLE VINEGAR CHUTNEY

Combine rabbit and remaining ingredients in a large, heavy based saucepan and add 5 cups water or just enough to cover. Bring to the boil, then lower heat to barely simmer and cook for 2 hours or until meats are very tender and falling off the bone. Strain mixture and reserve cooking liquid. Skim fat from cooking liquid and reserve both fat and cooking liquid.

Using fingertips, finely shred meats, discarding any unrendered fat and bones. Place shredded meats in a bowl, add about ¾ cup reserved cooking liquid or enough to moisten, then season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to a 1.5 litre bowl and cover with 1-2 cm of reserved fat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day or up to 2 weeks.

For quince and apple vinegar chutney, combine all ingredients and ½ cup water in a heavy based saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then simmer for 50-60 minutes or until quince is tender.

Remove cinnamon stick and season to taste. Spoon into sterilised jars or airtight containers and seal while hot. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 2 months. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 2 ½ cups chutney.

Serve rabbit rillettes with quince and apple-vinegar chutney and slices of crusty bread.

Serves 8 as an entrée or light lunch

CHAR-GRILLED RABBIT WITH MUSHROOMS, PASTA AND ROASTED – GARLIC SAUCE 

Combine 3 tablespoons verjuice, 2 tablespoons olive oil and thyme in a glass or ceramic dish, add rabbit pieces and turn to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place garlic on oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast at 200C for 45 minutes or until garlic is very soft.

Cut garlic cloves in half widthwise, squeeze pulp into a small saucepan and gradually whisk in veal or chicken stock. Simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens and is reduced to 1 cup

Add remaining verjuice, bring to the boil and season to taste.

Remove rabbit from marinade and cook on a hot char-grill until just tender. Rest rabbit, covered, in a warm place for 10 minutes, then slice deboned rabbit.

Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a bowl, drizzle generously with olive oil, season to taste and toss to coat in oil. Char-grill mushrooms until just tender.

Add pasta to a large saucepan of boiling salted water and boil for 1-2 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain. Transfer pasta to a large bowl, add garlic sauce, sliced rabbit and forelegs, mushrooms and spinach leaves and toss to combine.

Serve immediately in 4 shallow bowls.

Serves 4

RABBIT CASSEROLE WITH SPANISH FLAVOURS AND APPLE ALLIOLI 

Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large flameproof casserole, add chorizo and brown over medium heat, then, using a slotted spoon, remove and drain on absorbent paper.

Add another tablespoon of oil and brown rabbit pieces, in batches, adding remaining oil if necessary. Remove rabbit from pan. Add garlic and paprika and stir for 10 seconds, then deglaze pan with half the red wine.

Add remaining wine and bring to the boil, then return rabbit to pan, add drained beans, remaining ingredients and 2 cups of water and bring to the boil. Cover and cook at 180C for 70 minutes or until rabbit and beans are tender. If sauce is too wet, strain mixture through a fine sieve, return cooking liquid to pan and simmer until reduced to a sauce consistency, then season to taste. 

For apple allioli, process apple garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt until combined. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next, then season to taste.

Serve rabbit casserole in large, shallow bowls topped with generous spoonful of apple allioli.

Serves 4

RABBIT LIVER PATE 1 

Trim any discoloured spots, fat and membrane from the livers.  Wash and pat dry with paper towels.  Peel and finely chop the onion.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until it is foaming.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft.

Add the livers, bay leaf, thyme and brandy or port.   Cook for 10 mins or until the livers are just cooked through.  Remove from heat and cool for 20 mins.

Remove the bay leaf and spoon the liver mixture into a food processor.  Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the pâté into ramekins or a pâté pot and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pâté to prevent it from discolouring.   Alternatively pour a layer of melted clarified butter over the surface of the pâté.

Chill overnight in the refrigerator.  

To serve sprinkle the top with fresh thyme leavers and provide fresh crusty bread of crackers.

Serves 10 - 12

RABBIT LIVER PÂTÉ 2 

Clean livers.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick frying pay until just foaming.  Add half the livers and sauté quickly until golden brown on each side and quite soft in the middle.  (Be careful as the livers spit and jump so stand well back). 

Remove livers to a plate.

Add another tabs of butter and sauté remaining livers in same way until golden brown.

Return all livers to the pan, increase heat and tip on brandy, ignite tilting pan to spread flames. 

Add a little salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.  Transfer mixture to food processor and blend and incorporate remaining butter.  Check seasoning and press into small pot and chill well.  The surface will oxidise, or darken in contact with air.  If you wish to stop this, cover the finished pâté with a thin layer of clarified butter.  Serve with hot toast.

Makes 1 cup

RABBIT WITH ROSEMARY AND WHITE WINE 

Recipe can be made a day ahead
Storage:        Covered in refrigerator
Freeze:         Suitable
Microwave:   Not suitable

Clean and trim rabbits, cut into pieces, rinse under cold water, drain on paper towel.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in pan, add rabbit, cook in batches until browned all over, drain on paper towel. 

Heat remaining oil in same pan, add leek, celery and garlic, cook, stirring until leek is soft.

Stir in flour, stir until mixture is dry and grainy.  Remove pan from heat, gradually stir in stock and wine, stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens.  Return rabbit to pan, add rosemary, simmer, covered, about 1 ½ hrs or until rabbit is tender.

Add vegetables, simmer, covered  20 mins. or  until  vegetables are tender.  Stir in parsley.

Serves 4

RABBIT WITH PASTA 

Seal rabbit fillet in a little hot olive oil and add chopped witloaf, shredded radiccio hearts or sliced red cabbage and toss until wilted.

Grind in pepper and add a splash of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar and a nut of butter and toss until the rabbit is cooked.

Tip onto a dish of hot pasta and scatter with toasted pine nuts.

RABBIT WITH PRUNES 

Soak prunes for 1 hour in brandy and red wine.  Joint rabbits, reserving kidneys.  Cut saddle into 2-3 pieces.

Preheat oven to 180ºC.  Cook bacon gently until golden in an enamelled cast iron casserole big enough to hold rabbit.  Lift out bacon and reserve.  Add butter to bacon fat and brown rabbit in batches until golden brown.  Transfer browned pieces to a plate until all are done.   Add onions to fat and cook, turning, until coloured all over, then remove to a plate.   Add flour and stir and scrape until browned, about 3 mins.  Tip in hot stock and stir vigorously to loosen all crusty bits to make the beginnings of a sauce.

Put back legs and saddle pieces into casserole with thyme, bacon, salt and pepper.  Cover with buttered baking paper and then the lid and cook for 45 mins.  Add onions and forelegs and their juice, then add prunes and their soaking liquor.

Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan until a golden caramel.  Add vinegar and warm until caramel has dissolved.  Add to casserole and stir through.  Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Cover casserole with buttered paper again and continue to cook until tender, at least 30 mins, maybe longer.

Serve with mashed potato.

This dish reheats well.

Serves 4

RABBIT PIE 

Wash rabbit and joint, cut bacon into dice, place a layer of rabbit and bacon, well seasoned in pie dish, then a layer of forcemeat and sliced egg, continue so till all is used.  Pour over stock and cover with paste.

Bake in hot oven for 1 ¾ - 2 hours, then more slowly for ½ an hour.

May be eaten hot or cold.

RABBIT CURRY 

Wash rabbit, dry well and divide into joints.   Slice apple and onion.

Heat butter in pan fry rabbit till light brown and remove.

Fry onion, add curry powder and flour and fry for 10 minutes.  Add stock and bring to boil, replace rabbit, add apple and salt, cover and simmer 1 ½-1 ¾ hours.

Before serving add lemon juice.

Put rabbit in centre of serving dish, strain sauce over rabbit and surround with rice.

RABBIT DELICIOUS 

Soak rabbit in salted water and wash well, joint and dip each rabbit piece in seasoned flour then place in casserole dish, add layer of forcemeat, then layer of bacon.

Finally add a layer of sliced apples and sprinkle with little amount of brown sugar.

Add 4 cloves and pour milk of casserole.

Cover and cook for 3 hours in moderate oven.

RABBIT PASTE (SANDWICH FILLING) 

Place all ingredients in steamer and steam for 3 hours.

Strain.

Process meat mixture, then return to liquid.

Stir well and put into sterilized jars and seal.

SADDLE OF RABBIT IN MUSTARD SAUCE 

Dredge rabbit in little plain flour.  Saute until browned.  Heat cream, mustard, pepper and garlic in pan until boiling.  Add the rabbit pieces, cook until rabbit is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, approx 5 minutes.

Serves 2