Stewed rabbit (Gestoofd konijn)

Traditional recipe from The Netherlands

• 1 cut-up rabbit
• 1/3 cup of butter or margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped
• pepper
• salt
• bay leaves
• thyme
• small hot chili
• parsley
• celery
• carrot
• 1 lemon

For the sauce:

• 2 cups of stock or bouillon
• 1/4 cut of butter or margarine
• 3 tbsp of flour
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 large chopped onion
• seasoning and chopped vegetables as for rabbit above.

Rub the rabbit with pepper and salt and brown in butter on all sides.

Add the onion, seasoning, chopped vegetables and some water. Cover and simmer for 1 hour until half done.

Meanwhile make the sauce. Fry the onion, bay leaf, thyme and the chili in butter. Remove from the pan with a skimmer, leaving the butter.

Add flour and brown slightly, stirring constantly. Add the stock, tomato paste, pepper and salt and cook for 10 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the rabbit and cook for 1 more hour or until the meat falls out from the bone. Add lemon juice.

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and with a side dish of wither tomato salad, cabbage or Brussels sprouts.