Red Rabbit

• rabbit, wild (1), gutted and cleaned, cut into 6 joints
• wild boar sausages (4)
• mushrooms, medium (6), wiped and halved
• onion, large (1), peeled and sliced
• garlic clove (1)
• carrots (3), peeled and sliced into thick rounds
• potatoes, medium (4),peeled and sliced into thick rounds
• parsnips, medium (3), peeled and sliced into thick rounds
• celery (1 stick), washed and sliced
• chicken or light game stock, 1 pint
• red wine, 2 medium glasses
• black pepper
• flour, brown (1oz)
• bay leaf (1)
• rosemary, fresh, finely chopped, (1 tsp)
• juniper berries (8)
• butter or oil

1. Mix flour and black pepper.
2. Dust rabbit joints with the flour.
3. Brown rabbits joints using butter or oil in large casserole dish.
4. Remove rabbit and fry onion and celery until browned, more oil may be required. Loosen any 'caught-on' fragments in the bottom of the casserole dish from the frying of the rabbit.
5. Add mushrooms and crushed garlic and fry for a few moments.
6. Place rabbit joints back into casserole dish.
7. Add carrot, wine, stock, juniper berries and herbs.
8. Bring to the boil.
9. The potato and parsnip pieces should be layered across the top of the dish but first dunk into the hot stew so that they are partially blanched.
10. Push sausages in amongst the potato and parsnip pieces.
11. Cover casserole and cook in a slow oven (Mark 2/300ºF/150ºC) for about 2½-3 hours. Check every 30 minutes during last hour and turn sausages if necessary.
12. Remove casserole lid, check if extra stock (or water) needs to be added and dribble vegetables with olive oil.
13. Cook the dish without lid in a hot oven (Mark 5/375ºF/190ºC) for about 20 minutes.
14. Check regularly and turn sausages if necessary.
15. Sausages, potatoes and parsnips should be golden brown at the end of cooking.

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