Rabbit Pie

• 2 Rabbits, skinned and gutted
• 2 Large leeks, washed and roughly chopped
• 225g/8oz Smoked bacon rashers
• Zest of a small lemon
• 50g/2oz Unsalted butter
• 40g/11/2 oz Plain/all purpose flour
• 570ml/1 pint Rabbit stock (see Cook's tips 1.)
• 2 Tbsp creme fresh
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 275g/10oz Packet Short crust pastry
• 1 Large free range egg, beaten

1. Put the rabbits with the bacon rashers laid on top into a large heavy saucepan
2. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil
3. Simmer until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.(see Cooks tips 2)
4. Strain off and reserve 570ml/1 pint of the stock
5. When the rabbit has cooled down enough to handle, pull off the meat into small bite size pieces
6. Roughly chop the bacon rashers
7. Cover the meat and set aside
8. Steam the leeks for a few minutes until just soft
9. Mix the leeks in with the rabbit and bacon and cover
10. Method for the Sauce
11. Melt the butter in a saucepan
12. Over a low heat, add the flour and stir continuously for a minute
13. Slowly add the reserved rabbit stock, stirring all the time
14. When the sauce has thickened, pour in the creme fraiche and stir
15. Add the lemon zest and seasoning
16. Take off the heat and stir in enough sauce to bind together with the rabbit, bacon and leeks
17. Divide the pastry into four portions
18. Roll out each pastry portion to about 1/4 inch thick (see Cook's tips 3)
19. Brush a little of the sauce around the top of the pie dish
20. Press a thin strip of the pastry over the edge each dish
21. Divide the rabbit sauce mixture between the four dishes, almost to the top
22. Dampen the edge of the pastry strip and lay the rolled out crust over the top and press down to seal
23. Repeat with the remaining dishes
24. Brush the pastry pie tops with the beaten egg
25. Use a sharp knife and push into the centre of the pie to allow any steam to escape
26. Bake in a preheated oven 200u0b0C/400 u0b0F/ gas mark 6 for 10 minutes
27. Then lower the temperature to 170u0b0C/325u0b0F/gas mark 3 and cook for 30 minutes until pastry is golden
28. Cook's tips
29. 1. Use the stock from cooking the rabbits in
30. 2. The meat should pull away from the bone
31. 3. Turn the pie dish upside down on the pastry and cut round the edge to get the exact size
32. Equipment
33. Large heavy duty saucepan
34. 4 Individual pie dishes 350ml/ 3/4 pint
35. Small saucepan

leeks, bacon rashers, lemon, flour, crueme fresh, salt, pastry, range egg

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/rabbit-pie-50142250 (may not work)