Although popular on the Continent, rabbit is often overlooked as a dinner option in other countries. Don't miss out; it's inexpensive and the meat is lean yet flavoursome.
Some people get a bit misty-eyed when rabbit is mentioned – to many, the word conjours up memories of floppy-eared, twitchy-nosed bundles of fur from their childhood. In the last few decades, the English have turned their noses up to what was once a staple in the British diet; Beatrix Potter's cheeky Peter Rabbit may have had a latent effect on the public's desire to eat what they came to associate as sentient beings. Others, notably farmers, positively encourage the consumption of these cutesy cropmunchers that are the scourge of their hard-toiled fields.
But as more and more of us reach for locally-sourced produce, rabbit is slowly coming back in vogue – especially wild rabbit, which has a gamey savoriness – and the subtle taste lends itself to a variety of different cooking methods. It's also an extremely good source of protein and, like other red meats, an excellent source of iron.
Rabbit is available all year round in the UK and there's an abundance of it, although it's kinder to avoid wild rabbit between April-August when they're breeding and feeding their young.
Butchers are more likely to sell rabbit than supermarkets; try to avoid anything in excess of a kilo, as it can prove tough. The type of meat you can buy varies: 'fryer' is the leanest and most tender; 'roaster', is a more mature rabbit – at its best when given a longer cooking time; lastly, there are the giblets, which are the organs of the animal. Take care when cooking rabbit, as the low fat content can make it dry if it's not marinated beforehand, or basted.
Rabbit makes a great alternative to a sunday beef or chicken roast and, as the Italians have proved, is particularly delicious with pasta. September marks the start of when it's ethically acceptable to eat rabbit again; a suitable month as the meat goes well with autumnal flavours and in warming, comforting dishes.
delicious. rabbit recipes
Rabbit with tomato and rosemaryRabbit is one of our finest wild foods – it’s flavoursome, lean and
ridiculously cheap – and this is a wonderfully autumnal casserole.
Rabbit and fettucineThis sauce for pasta is, in essence, a light ragù and would also work
with poultry such as pheasant or partridge. A whole rabbit will give
you more than enough for four servings, so you might like to freeze
some for later. This sauce is also good with gnocchi.