For centuries rabbits have been a valuable addition to the diets of many people who might not otherwise have been able to afford fresh meat.

“When I was a child in around 1820, my family enjoyed eating rabbits.  My grandfather trapped them in his garden or at the farm.

Rabbits can be fricasseed, braised, stewed or made into a pie, although young rabbits may be roasted, grilled or fried.  You may like to make my Staffordshire Rabbit Pie recipe.“

Mrs Stearn (1876)

INGREDIENTS
225g (8oz) Shortcrust pastry
2 peeled potatoes
4 rashers bacon, rinded and chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Little stock or water
4 Rabbit joints
1 onion
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
Beaten egg to glaze

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven at 220C (425F/Gas 7).
2. Make the pastry.
3. Wash the rabbit joints.
4. Slice the potatoes and onions.
5. Fill a pie dish with alternate layers of rabbit, bacon and vegetables, sprinkling each layer with salt and pepper and chopped parsley.
6. Add the bay leaf.
7. Half fill the dish with stock or water.
8. Cover with pastry and make a hole in the centre to let the steam escape.
9. Decorate with leaves made from the pastry trimmings and brown with egg.
10. Bake in the hot oven until the pastry is set (about 15 minutes) then reduce the temperature to 170C (325F/Gas 3) and cook for about 1 1/4 hours until the meat is tender.
11. Serve the pie hot with steamed green cabbage or sprouting broccoli.