(Makes about 1 kilo)

Belly pork is the cut traditionally used for this rustic French speciality, with as much fat as lean.

The whole point of rillettes is the texture and flavour supplied by the fat. No one says you have to eat the whole pot in one go. Rillettes keep well in the refrigerator for a week or so, and make a good sandwich filling.

A scoop of rillettes with lettuce salad, a pickle or two, ħobża and a glass of wine makes for a good lunch, or spread on fingers of hot toast as appetisers to serve with drinks. Because rabbit is such a lean meat, it is important to use extra fat, either fat belly pork, or duck fat if you have it. Duck rillettes can be made in the same way and to make pork rillettes, simply double the quantity of belly pork.

500 g fat belly pork, diced
A jointed whole rabbit
1 tablespoon Gozo sea salt
1 scant teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A pinch each of nutmeg or mace, cloves and cinnamon
About 200 g raw pork fat
150 ml water
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme, 1 sage leaf, if you like the flavour

• Rub the pork and rabbit with the salt and spices and put in an earthenware casserole or other oven-proof pot. Leave to cure overnight. Next day wipe off the salt and put the meat back in the casserole. Add the rest of the ingredients, and put in the bottom of a low oven for at least 4 hours. This can be done overnight if you are sure of your oven. The meat will be cooked, the fat will have melted and the water evaporated.

Pour the contents of the casserole into a large sieve set over a bowl. Remove all the bones and the herbs, and shred the meat with two forks. Pack the meat into straight-sided pots or jam jars, not too tightly, and pour on the fat so that it seeps around the meat and covers the surface. Cool, cover and then refrigerate.