Rabbit Pot Pie Recipe

Rabbit Pot Pie

This is a great way to use up your leftover rabbit meat, or roast a rascally rabbit especially for this pie.  Nothing is quite as comforting as serving up a pot pie for supper on a cool fall evening, and made with rabbit, it's an extra-special treat.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
ice water

Filling:

2 tablespoons butter                               1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup chopped onion                              1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sliced celery                                  1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped sweet pepper                  1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup chopped carrots                            3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup all purpose flour                          2 1/2 cups cooked, chopped rabbit meat

1.  To make crust, stir together flour and salt in medium bowl.  Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ice water over mixture and toss with fork.  Sprinkle additional ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time (4-5 tablespoons more), over mixture until it is moistened and comes together in a ball.  Refrigerate pastry.

2.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.

3.  To make filling, melt butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add onion, celery, sweet pepper and carrots, and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

4.  Stir in flour, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes.  Whisk in broth and half and half, and cook until thick and bubbly.  Stir in rabbit meat.

5.  To assemble pot pie, butter 2 quart casserole dish or 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish.

6.  Turn pastry dough out onto floured surface and roll out 1 inch larger than dish.  Pour hot illing into dish and place pastry on top.  Use fork to crimp edges, flute with your fingers, or just leave it as is for a rustic-style crust.  Use sharp knife to cut slits in crust to allow steam to escape.

7.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling!