Rabbit And Wild Rice Pie
This gently spiced and wholesome dish is like a warm hug, and it is one of the tastiest pies I have ever had. The wild rice brings a lovely colour and texture, and there’s a little kick of heat from the chilli – use a bit more if you like it hotter.
Don’t be put off by the perceived effort required to cook with rabbit. Yes, there are lots of small bones. Braise it jointed as described here, after which the meat will fall easily from the bones. Alternatively, if you have a good butcher, ask them to debone it for you, reserving the bones so you can make a stock. If you don’t have access to rabbit, substitute with chicken thighs.
The pictured pie was made using plain flaky shortcrust pastry for the top.
Serves 6-8.
Ingredients 17
60 g unsalted butter
30 g olive oil
1 rabbit, approx. 1.5 kg, jointed
water, for deglazing
2 onions, medium, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes
4 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 l rabbit stock
300 g tomato passata
200 g wild rice
fine salt
black pepper, freshly ground
pastry, of choice (see my recipes)
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Method 6
Heat a large heavy-based saucepan or cast-iron casserole dish over a medium–high heat, then add a good knob of the and the . Brown the pieces in batches and set aside. Deglaze the pan with a little water or wine.
Reduce the heat to medium, then melt another knob of in the same pan. Add the and cook, stirring regularly, for 10–12 minutes until softened and golden. Add the , , , , , and and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
Return the to the pan, add the and and stir to combine well. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially with the lid and simmer for 1 hour.
Add the and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Remove the pieces and increase the heat to reduce the sauce by half.
When the is cool enough to handle, pick the meat off the bones, being very careful not to miss any small bones. (You can keep the bones to roast and make a stock for your next pie.) Dice any larger pieces of meat, then mix it all back through the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before assembling and baking your pie(s).
