Update my dinner status, I'm making this tonight.

Servings: 1 servings
Total Time (median): 0 : 00 Active Time: 0 : 00

US/Metric: [convert to metric]

Start this dish the day before you need it. Make it in 4 individual pie pots for presentations sake. Wild rabbits have a better flavour than farmed, if you can get them. Ask you butcher or game dealer to remove the thick blue skin from the rabbits. With a sharp filleting knife, remove the hind legs and using the thick thigh part only, cut off the meat and reserve the bones and thinner bits of the leg for stock. Cut off the forelegs and use for stock. Taking the saddle with the backbone uppermost, cut down either side of the backbone and, slicing the knife along the back rib cage, remove both fillets from the saddle. Put all the prepared meat in the marinade overnight in the refrigerator. Make a stock using all the bones and trimmings, or use a brown chicken stock - throw the rabbit trimmings in and simmer for an hour or so to extract the rabbit flavour. Make a 11/2lb batch of Old Vic Foolproof Pastry (see recipe index). Use 1/2lb and freeze the rest for later. Rest the pastry in the fridge until the next day. To cook the rabbit, toss the meat lightly in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Fry the onion, bacon and mushrooms and remove from the pan. Fry the rabbit pieces to sear on all sides. Blend the mustard into the marinade liquid. Gradually add the marinade liquid to the pan, stirring well, and bring to the boil. Boil hard to reduce and drive off the alcohol. Add the stock. The mixture should have thickened a little. Add the meat, mushroom mixture and fresh herbs. Season lightly - remember the flavour will concentrate whilst cooking in the oven. Tip the stew into an ovenproof casserole with a lid and cook at 140C/gas 3 for about 11/2 hours, depending on how big the pieces of rabbit are. Check for tenderness. Correct the seasoning and remove the herbs. Divide the stew between pie dishes and allow to cool. Roll out 4 pastry lids to fit the dishes. With the trimmings, put a strip round the edge of the dishes and cut decorative leaves out too. Top the dishes with pastry. Knock together the edges with the back of a knife. Make a skewer whole in the top to let out the steam and decorate with pastry leaves. Brush with beaten egg and milk and bake at 200C/gas 6 for about 20-25 minutes until the pastry is cooked and golden. Braised red cabbage: remove the cabbage core and finely shred the leaves. continued in part 2