Rabbit Recipe

Here at Smallholding Tips we never turn down the opportunity of a free meal yesterday Sharon called me and said there was a rabbit on the back lawn. I grabbed my .22 air rifle loaded it up and went outside. Unfortunately the rabbit was to far away so I had to get closer, so after crawling along on my belly at the edge of the pond the rabbit was in sight.

I should point out that when shooting a rabbit with an air rifle you should always aim for a head shot as hitting it anywhere else is unlikely to kill it outright and the chances are it will run off and die a long slow death, it will also deprive you of a meal as you probably wont catch it if it runs off.

You are much more likely to kill it or stop it in its tracks with a shot to the head. I have a telescopic sight which is zeroed in and very accurate.

Anyhow after getting in position I took aim, fired and the rabbit fell over and was just twitching a little I ran up and just to be sure I jerked the head back and broke its neck.

I went up to the house and after skinning & gutting it was passed over to Sharon for the next stage, OUR EVENING MEAL.

Here is a Recipe for Rabbit With Sorrel Sauce

1 Rabbit, Milk, Flour, Salt & Pepper, Butter or Oil for frying, 2 Handfuls of Sorrel, 14 gms Butter
1 Tablespoon of Flour, 3dl Milk.

Joint the rabbit and soak in the milk for 30 mins. Drain and pat dry.
Coat the joints in seasoned flour and cook in butter or oil for about 20 mins over a medium heat untill they are tender.
Wash the sorrel and remove any tough stalks. Chop the leaves finely.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sorrel and cook over a low heat for about 3 mins.
Mix in the flour and gradually blend in the milk. Stir continuously over a medium heat until the sauce comes to the boil and is thick and smooth.
Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of mace (optional).

Serve the rabbit with the sorrel sauce poured over it and accompanied by roast wild parsnips and wild green vegetables or leaf salad with chopped nuts. Pickled broom or gorse buds (in season) also go well with this dish.

As usual Sharon surpassed herself and the rabbit was wonderful