RABBIT LASAGNE
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 8 sheets of fresh lasagne, cooked for 2 minutes in boiling salted water and drained
For the meat sauce
the meat from 3-4 rabbits, coarsely minced or chopped by hand 6 rashers of streaky bacon, finely chopped a little vegetable or corn oil for frying 1 medium onion, peeled, halved and finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed 1tsp chopped thyme or oregano leaves 4 sticks of celery, peeled if necessary and finely chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper 2tsp flour 2tsp tomato purée 100ml white wine 750ml-1 litre hot chicken stock
For the cheese sauce
50g butter 50g flour 500ml hot milk salt and freshly ground white pepper 4tbsp freshly grated Parmesan 2-3tbsp double cream
METHOD
First, make the rabbit sauce. Heat some oil in a large frying pan, then season and fry the meat and bacon on a high heat, stirring every so often until it’s lightly coloured (you may need to do this in a couple of batches). Drain the meat in a colander, then heat the rest of the oil in a saucepan and gently cook the onion, garlic, celery and thyme for 2-3 minutes until it softens. Add the rabbit, flour and tomato purée and stir well, then gradually add the wine and stock, bring to the boil, season and simmer for about an hour until the sauce has thickened and is just coating the meat; then remove from the heat. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour, then gradually whisk in the hot milk to make a smooth sauce. Season and simmer very gently for about 30 minutes, giving it a good whisk every so often (a diffuser plate will come in useful here). Stir in the Parmesan and cream and re-season. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Preheat the oven to 200C. Take a 4-5cm-deep gratin dish or similar, spoon a layer of meat in the bottom of the dish, using about a third of the mixture, then lay on the lasagne, then a layer of meat and more lasagne. Keep doing this until you have used the meat and end up with a layer of lasagne on the top. Spoon the sauce on top and bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, until the top is nicely glazed.