Pappardelle with broad beans and rabbit

Serves 4

Rabbit is a much under-valued meat that offers many possibilities in the kitchen. It makes a delicious pasta sauce all year round and the addition of broad beans give it a particulary summery, seasonal feel.

If you can get hold of it, wild rabbit is by far the best option and it has that lovely, light gaminess about it. Most good butchers should stock wild rabbits, or you could try visiting the stalls of Shell Seekers or Furness Fish in Borough Market which also specialise in game.

1 wild rabbit
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1tsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped
60g butter
1tbsp flour
150ml white wine
1ltr chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g shelled weight of broad beans
1tbsp chopped parsley
250g pappardelle

Remove all the meat from the rabbit and cut it into rough 1cm pieces, reserving the liver and kidneys. Chop the rabbit bones into small pieces and simmer them in the chicken stock for 1 hour.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan and fry the rabbit pieces (not including the livers and kidney) with the onion and garlic on a high heat, stirring every so often, until lightly coloured, then add the oregano, butter and flour and stir well.

Gradually stir in the wine and then the stock and add the rabbit meat. Bring to the boil and season and simmer gently for an hour or until the meat is tender, skimming every so often. The sauce should have thickened by now, but if not then continue to simmer for a little longer. Chop the kidneys and liver finely and stir into the sauce.

Cook the broad beans in boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes until tender, then drain. You can remove the shells from any large beans.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the manufacturer's cooking instructions, drain then toss in a pan on a low heat with the sauce and broad beans with a little olive oil. Season and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.