Small adventures in cooking by James Ramsden

There are some nights when a belly-coddlingly rich stew just hits the spot. As the evenings draw in, it's time to stuff yourself to the gullet with robust food. Nowadays you can find rabbit in a lot of supermarkets but, failing that, give your butcher a bit of notice and he'll get you some in.

Serves: 6

- olive oil
- 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
- 2 rabbits, jointed
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 25g butter
- 2 onions, peeled and sliced
- a stick of celery, finely chopped
- a clove of garlic, peeled and sliced
- 500ml dry cider
- 300ml chicken stock
- a sprig of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 200ml double cream
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- a handful of flat-leaf parsley Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

Heat a drop of oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the bacon and fry until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In your biggest mixing bowl, season the rabbit with salt and pepper and add the flour. Coat the rabbit pieces in the flour and brown in the bacon fat over a medium-high heat until coloured on all sides. You'll need to do this in batches, adding a little more oil as necessary. Remove from the pan.

Put the butter, onion, celery and garlic in the pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, then pour in the cider and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and add the rabbit, bacon, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and cook in the oven for around 1½ hours.

Remove from the oven, uncover and place on a medium heat. Stir in the cream and mustard and simmer gently, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes. Roughly chop the parsley and stir in. Taste for seasoning and serve with whatever vegetables you fancy.

From Small in Adventures in Cooking by James Ramsden (£14.99, Quadrille).