Chris Jackman
Hare "Pot-au-feu" braised hare leg, hare sausage, small vegetables and almond dumplings in a game broth
Serves 6
3 small, whole aged hare. The rear legs for the sausage, front for braising, fillets to poach.
For the Braised legs pouched fillet and Brooth
First remove the front and rear legs from the Carcass. Then the fillets/ back straps.
Remove the sharp thin bone from the end of the front legs with a clever.
Remove bones, starting from the inside of the leg.
Remove the skin as one would for fish-pulling the skin against the outward headed knife. sRemove the fillets and the skin that covers them.
Place the fillets into a container with a few cracked juniper berries and fresh thyme.
For the stock
Ingredients
Hare bones
3 large onions
2 large carrots
2 sticks of celery
3 fresh bay leaves
sprig of thyme
4 cloves of garlic , cut in half
3-4 litres beef / veal stock or even venison if you have it. 1tbsp. brandy.
To prepare the stock
Roast the hare bones in the oven until golden.
De- glaze with a little brandy.
Tip into a stock pot, add the beef stock herbs and vegetables.
Allow to simmer3-4 hours, skimming now and then. Strain, then reduce for a more intense flavour.
To prepare the braised legs
Heat a skillet, then sear the oiled and seasoned front legs.
Place into a braising pan together with 1 tbsp. dried sage.
Cover with the stock and bring to a simmer.
Cover and cook in the oven for about 45 minutes or until tender.
For Hare Sauasge
Ingredients
450 gm hare flesh, preferably from the rear legs
120 ml egg white, whipped to firm peaks
150 ml pouring cream, whipped.
2 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp. dried sage, not fresh!
1tsp. ground clove.
1 tsp. ground nutmeg.
1 tbsp. juniper berries, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely.
Salt and ground white pepper.
Method
Mince the hare leg through the finest blade; then grind with a little ice in the food processor.
Whisk the whites, then cream and add to the ground hare.
Add the spices and seasoning.
Work to a smooth farce.
Poach a little off and taste for seasoning.
Prepare small 10cm long and 2 cm thick sausages, by piping onto cling film, then rolling up to form logs.
Poach in a little stock, allow to cool, then un-wrap.
The Almond Dumplings
Ingredients
1 tsp thyme
200gm white bread, cut into a small dice
3 eggs
2 tbsp. butter
60 gm diced bacon / pancetta
100 ml almond meal
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
salt and white pepper.
To make the dumplings
Combine all ingredients together to form sticky dumplings.
Season to taste.
The Small Vegetables
baby carrots, spring onions, golden baby beet root, small green beans, broad beans etc.
Cleaned and cooked in hare stock until soft.
Allow 80- 100 gm per person.
To Serve
Place the stock from braise, vegetables etc. together with 1 tbsp. dried sage and 2 tbsp. pouring cream into a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients.
A large Le Creuset is great. Place the legs into the hot broth,. and after 5 minutes add the sausages and dumplings.
After a further 5 minutes add the vegetables and fillets.
Bring back to a simmer for a further 5 minutes then strain off the broth and keep hot. Arrange into each one of the six large pasta plates; a leg, two sausages, 2-3 dumplings some vegetables and a few thick slices of rare cooked fillet.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Ladle on the hot, seasoned broth and serve.
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