Braised Rabbit

4 rabbit legs, cleaned

Marinating liquid

• 150ml red wine
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Murray River salt
• ½ tsp thyme, chopped
• ½ basil, chopped
• ½ rosemary, chopped
• ½ fennel seeds

Braising liquid

• 60ml olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 100ml white wine
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 750ml chicken stock

Vegetables

• 50g butter
• 6 shallots, peeled
• 60ml chicken stock
• 2 potatoes, turned into 8 barrels
• 8 baby carrots, peeled
• 200g broad beans, blanched and peeled
• Murray River salt and pepper to taste

For the rabbit legs, combine all the marinating ingredients in a bowl and add the rabbit legs. Allow to marinate overnight.

For the braising liquid, sauté the chopped onion, carrot and leek in a hot heavy based saucepan with olive oil. Remove the rabbit legs from the marinade and add to the saucepan to colour lightly. Reserve the marinating liquid

Deglaze the frying pan with white wine, add the reserved marinate and allow to reduce for 15 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 1 hour.

For the vegetables, heat a heavy-based frying pan with butter until the butter starts to foam. Add the shallots, reduce the heat and allow the onions to caramelise for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and allow to reduce for 5 minutes.

Add the shallots, potatoes and carrots to the saucepan and allow to simmer for a further 2 hours until the meat and vegetables are soft and the braising liquid has reduced.

To serve:

Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the broad beans and stir through.

Place 2 rabbit legs into each serving bowl and spoon over the vegetables and braising liquid. Season to taste.

Serve with French bread