Rabbit Tagliatelli Recipe

Method

1. Put the dried mushrooms in a mug, then add boiling water until they are just covered. Soak while you prepare the rabbit. (If using fresh mushrooms, fry these with the bacon instead).
2. Prepare the rabbit. This will be supplied jointed, however you need to trim the two loins out from either side of the backbone and set aside, (this will leave you with two sausage shaped pieces of meat) as these cook much quicker than the leg meat.
3. Thinly slice the bacon, and fry until crispy. Add the sage leaves, and fry flat until they are crisp. Remove 6 of the sage leaves and set aside for the garnish. Put the bacon and sage in a saucepan, then deglaze the frying pan with the white wine, and add to the same pan.
4. Add the jointed rabbit to the saucepan, then the thyme and stock. Add the mushrooms and soaking liquid. Simmer gently for 45 minutes – you want to poach, rather than boil the rabbit.
5. Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pan, and separate the meat from the bones. Whilst doing this, put the stock pan back on a heat and reduce until it begins to reduce and thicken to a sauce consistency.
6. Gently fry the rabbit loins until cooked, just pink in the middle. Slice, mix with the strips of rabbit meat.
7. Now the sauce is reduced, stir in the mustard, and cream (or crème fraiche). Add the meat to the sauce and stir
8. Cook your tagliatelle, then spoon into bowls. Spoon the meat sauce on top of the tagliatelle, and top with the crisp sage leaves, and serve with a crisp white wine.