Braised Rabbit with Broad Beans, Bacon and Mint

I bought some wild rabbit from the farmers market in Walthamstow to make this beautiful dish using up the last of the broad beans from my garden. It was delicious and the sauce was just perfect.

Braised Rabbit with Broad Beans and Mint
(from Grains, Seeds and Legumes by Molly Brown)
(Serves 6)

12 wild rabbit joints
15g butter
40ml oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g broad beans, podded weight
150g bacon, cut into chunks
5 mint sprigs, leaves picked and torn

Season the rabbit joints well with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and half of the oil in a saute pan over a high heat, add the rabbit and brown well. Remove the rabbit from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and saute over a medium heat until soft and pale gold. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 mins.

Return the rabbit to the pan, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to very low, cover and gently cook the rabbit until it is tender, about 1 hour 40 mins. MAke sure the rabbit stays moist and add a little more stock if you need to. Meanwhile, cook the beans in boiling salted water until tender, then drain. When cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and set aside.

Once the rabbit is cooked, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and reduce the cooking liquid if you need to - there should be enough to just coat the rabbit. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry until the bacon is golden. Add the beans, bacon and rabbit to the pan with the reduced cooking liquid. Heat through and check the seasoning. Add the mint leaves and serve.