BRAISED RABBIT PIE IN A WHITE WINE & CREAM VELOUTE

RABBIT PIE

FRESH LOCAL RABBITS

RABBIT VELOUTE SAUCE

RABBIT ADDED TO THE VELOUTE FOR A RICH PIE FILLING

PIE PASTRY
110g lard
100g butter or stork
450g plain flour
175ml water
Large pinch salt

Grate the lard and butter into a bowl, add the whisked flour and salt and water and bring together with a knife, once a ball has almost been formed bring together with your hands gently to make a smooth ball of dough, don't over work it.  Rest in the fridge for 1 hour.  Roll out and line a greased pie tin.

BRAISING THE RABBITS
Place the rabbits in a large pressure cooker with the onion, carrots, leek, celery, bayleaf, black peppercorns & salt.  Fill the pan 3/4 with water and bring upto pressure and cook for 40 minutes.  Once cooked take the rabbits out and leave to cool for 15 minutes.  Strain the stock and reserve, once the rabbits have cooled remove all the meat off the bones and put aside for the pie.

THE RABBIT VELOUTE
100g butter
100g supreme plain flour
600ml rabbit stock
seasoning
Double cream
100 ml dry white wine
Hint of nutmeg

In a deep pan melt the butter slowly and stir in the flour, on a low heat keep stirring and cook out the roux for approx 5 minutes, do not let the colour change.  Add the white wine and stir in well, the roux will go quite thick, start to add a large ladle of the rabbit stock and stir in well, keep going till you have a medium thick sauce, if you feel you have some lumps then give the sauce a good whisk.  Keep the sauce just at the beginning of a simmer, add some double cream and taste, season if needed and adjust, add the nutmeg.  Cook the veloute on a very gentle simmer for approx 5 minutes.  Add the rabbit meat.

Fill the pie casing, egg wash the top and bake at 180 degrees for 35-45 minutes.