Rabbit with mustard & bacon

Ingredients

• 50g butter
  
  , softened
• small handful parsley and tarragon
  
  leaves, chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• grated zest ½ lemon
  
• 2 rabbit legs (see tips below)
• 10 slices pancetta
  
   from a pack

For the mustard sauce

• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp grain mustard
  
• lemon juice
• steamed, peeled new potatoes
  
  , to serve

  Method

  1. Mash the butter with the herbs, garlic and lemon zest, then chill. This can be done up to a day in advance. Use a small sturdy knife to scrape the meat away from the thigh bone part of the rabbit leg. Try and create a pocket around the bone rather than cutting into the actual meat. When you get to the joint, cut or snap the bone away.
  2. Halve the butter, roll into two logs, then stuff into the cavity of each rabbit leg. Wrap the slices of pancetta around each leg so that they join underneath. The rabbit can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
  3. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place the rabbit on a shallow roasting tray and roast for 20-30 mins (see tip below), then leave to rest for 5 mins. While the rabbit is cooking, make the sauce. Heat the crème fraîche with both mustards and simmer for 2-3 mins until thickened slightly. Season to taste, then add a squeeze of lemon juice and set aside.
  4. To serve, spoon some sauce onto each plate and carve the rabbit into thick slices. Arrange the rabbit on top of the sauce with some steamed new potatoes on the side.
  5. Source: bbcgoodfood.com