Braised Rabbit with Thyme, Olives and Polenta

First joint the rabbit and it is best if you do this yourself. Remove legs and cut the main part of the rabbit into serving pieces trimming off spare bits  Picture  . Put the serving pieces to one side, put everything else into an ovenproof dish. Scrape a carrot and cut into halves lengthwise, peel and quarter an onion and add to the rabbit in the ovenproof dish  Picture  .

Sprinkle a tablespoonful of olive oil over the rabbit/carrot/onion mixture and put in the oven at 375°F/190°C/Reg5 for a total of about 75 minutes turning everything half way through. When ready, take out the oven and put everything into a saucepan.

Roughly chop the celery and add to the saucepan along with a half handful of fresh thyme. Barely cover with water, cover and simmer over a low light for about an hour. When take off heat, use a slotted spoon to remove the rabbit and vegetables and discard, then pour the stock through a sieve into another saucepan and reduce by half which should generate about a half litre of really good rabbit stock. Leave to cool.

When the stock is cool (could be the following day), spoon off the fat from the top - there won't be much. Reheat and season with salt and white pepper, add a glass of white wine, simmer for five minutes or so and reseason if necessary. This is the broth in which the rabbit will be cooked.

Season the rabbit serving pieces with salt and white pepper, sear (not brown) quickly in a little olive oil and put the pieces in an ovenproof casserole. Barely cover with the rabbit stock, add another handful of fresh thyme, bring to a simmer and put covered into the oven at 325°F/170°C/Reg3 for about 30 minutes turning once half way through. When ready stir in the olives and re-cover the casserole.

Meanwhile cook the polenta according to the packet instructions (note real as opposed to quick polenta is best) in chicken stock (not just water). When ready, put portions on to serving dishes followed by rabbit pieces, olives and a good portion of broth. Serve and enjoy  Zoom  .