Braised rabbit pappardelle

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• wild rabbit↗1

  jointed (ask your butcher to do this for you)

• rashers smoked streaky bacon↗4

  chopped

• small red onion↗1

  finely chopped

• carrot↗1

  finely chopped

• garlic cloves↗3

  crushed

• rosemary↗2

  sprigs, leaves picked and chopped

• tomato purée↗1 tbsp tbsp
• white or rosé wine150ml ml
• chicken stock↗500ml ml
• pappardelle↗500g g

  pasta

• zest ½ orange
• Dijon mustard↗1 tbsp tbsp
• double cream↗100ml ml
• small bunch flat-leaf parsley↗

  chopped, plus a few leaves picked to serve

• grated parmesan

  to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large pan. When hot, add the rabbit, brown on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.

2. 2

   Add the bacon, onion and carrot to the pan and cook for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic, rosemary and tomato purée, stir for 1-2 mins, then pour in the wine and chicken stock.

3. 3

   Return the rabbit to the pan, season, cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 1 hr until the rabbit is really tender.

4. 4

   Remove the rabbit from the pan and shred the meat using 2 forks. Be careful to remove all small bones. Meanwhile, increase the heat under the pan and boil the liquid for 5 mins until reduced by half. Add the shredded meat and reduce the heat to low. Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little pasta water to thin the sauce if necessary.

5. 5

   Stir half the orange zest, mustard, cream and parsley into the rabbit sauce. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, toss everything well to coat and heat through for 1-2 mins. Serve in bowls with grated Parmesan, parsley leaves and the remaining orange zest.