Ingredients:
- 3lb rabbit, cut into 6 to 7 serving pieces, include ribs and flap meat
- Salt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour for dredging
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 4-6 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen string
- 1 1/2 cups of British ale
- 1/2 cup of chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 celery root, peeled and diced
- 2 teaspoons whole grained mustard
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Method:
- Sprinkle and rub salt into the pieces of rabbit and set aside for an hour.
- Place flour on plate. Dredge rabbit pieces in flour.
- Heat oil and butter in a large casserole pot on medium heat (large enough to fit rabbit pieces in a single layer). Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the rabbit pieces in a single layer to the pot.
- Brown on one side without stirring for 5 to 6 minutes. Then turn the pieces over and brown on the other side. Remove to a plate.
- Add the sliced onions to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown, scraping up and browned rabbit bits from the bottom of the pot. Add garlic cloves and thyme, cook until onions are soft and the garlic quite fragrant.
- Increase the heat to high and add the ale. Let it simmer for a minute or two, then add the stock. Add a half teaspoon of salt and the freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the diced celery root over the onions in a single layer. Place the browned rabbit pieces over the celery root. Bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to maintain a very low simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, or until the rabbit is just cooked through and tender.
- Remove rabbit pieces from the pot and keep warm on a platter. Increase the heat to high and reduce the liquid by one third. Then, reduce the heat to low, stir in the mustard and sugar. Taste and add more salt and pepper in needed.
- Return meat to pot and rewarm for another minute. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve. Serve with crusty bread, egg noodles, or rice, along with some British ale.