....run, run, run. Here comes the farmer with his gun, gun, gun. And struggling to keep up, here comes Edward cheering on the farmer and keeping him supplied with pork pies, cheese sandwiches, and anything else he may need to sustain his bloodlust. For me, hunting is the purest form of food provision. Not only are there no welfare issues with sourcing meat this way (obviously) but also, be it fishing, shooting or trapping, there's little doubt that the taste of a wild animal is infinitely superior to that of a farmed equivalent and as I've said previously, taste is the number one consideration. I remember fondly the first time I ate wild salmon, having previously only encountered the regular, pale pink supermarket variety. I was dumb-founded that the flesh was a beautiful deep red, rather like that of a blood orange, and once I'd pan-roasted the fillet, gently seasoned it and taken my first bite, I was hooked. The flesh was sweet and complex no doubt due to the variety of foods the salmon had eaten during it's lifetime. You know that slightly devious look many women develop when they're munching on some chocolate - well that was me with the salmon. Since that moment I always try to eat wild produce where possible but there's no doubt that some products are more easily sourced than others. Regrettably many fish stocks are perilously low, and I would encourage anyone to try and buy with a consideration for what's sustainable where possible - more on this in future posts. However, it's not all doom and gloom. One can still enjoy parts of nature's bounty without feeling too guilty, without giving the bank manager a heart attack and without a huge knowledge of what game is in season (more on this in later posts too). Available almost all year is the (drum-roll!!) European Wild Rabbit.
Wild rabbit is an extremely lean meat and has a subtle, gamey flavour. Perhaps it's greatest strength is it's versatility. It works well with a myriad of different ingredients. The Italians use tomatoes and herbs, the south americans use chilli and the French use mustard and cream. But in Britain, although there are thousands of the critters all over the country, and despite the fact they're regarded as a pest by many farmers, we eat relatively little. It seems to me there are three reasons for this.
Firstly, during the Second World War, households were encouraged to keep rabbits for meat in an effort to feed the family during the dark days of rationing. No doubt there were many botched attempts at casseroles and pies, as the meat can go incredibly tough without a sufficient addition of fat. Cue a lifelong dislike of rabbit for the children subjected to that. Secondly, there was a highly successful attempt to cull the rabbit population during the 1950's through the introduction of Myxomatosis. This seems to have affected many - even my father recently admitted that he was "scarred by frothing mouths and convulsing bodies" in the fields he walked. And thirdly, there is the slightly contemptible "fluffy bunny brigade" for whom the idea of eating such a "cute" animal cannot be reconciled. It's also fairly hard to get your hands on some. Regrettably, most food is purchased in the supermarket, but when was the last time you actually saw Rabbit in the refrigeration cabinet?
If you'd like to secure some rabbits, ask a good local butcher. They'll be able to remove the head (fluffy bunny brigade), skin the animal and gut it for you. I would certainly recommend this. The first time I prepared a rabbit for use, the animal evacuated it's bowels all over my forearm, resulting in much sniggering amongst the boys and loud screams from the girls. Joking aside, it wasn't an overly pleasant experience, so save yourself the bother. I then cooked the whole lot up in a vague "coq au vin-esque" manner. Needless to say it was tough and inedible. Thankfully I've developed since then, and my take on a classic warming autumnal rabbit stew is below. Try some rabbit today - it's cheap, different, tasty and extremely good for you.
Cider Braised Rabbit & Apple
Serves 6
I like to eat this very simply with a hunk of crusty bread, but I've also served it with Polenta. Use a good quality dry cider, as opposed to a sweet mass-produced one. It's one drawback is a lack of colour, so make sure you sprinkle some chopped parsley over it before serving.
Ingredients:
Olive Oil
4 Large Shallots, Sliced
400g Pork Belly, Diced
2 Wild Rabbits, Skinned & Jointed
100g Plain Flour, Seasoned
450 mls Cider
200 mls Double Cream
4 Bay Leaves
4 Eating Apples, Halved, Cored & Sliced
A handful of Flat Leaf Parsley, Finely chopped
Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper
1. Find a good quality heavy casserole dish. Add a glug of olive oil and add your shallots. Soften and remove.
2. In the same pan, add the diced pork belly. Brown and remove.
3. Take your seasoned flour and put it in a plastic bag. Add the rabbit joints and shake until covered. Remove the rabbit and shake off the excess. Then brown in the oil and rendered pork fat. You will probably need to do this in batches. Once the rabbit is well browned, return the shallots and pork belly to the pan.
4. Now add your cider, cream and bay leaves. Stir, and bring to a simmer.
5. Finally add your apples. Keep the stew ticking over on a simmer for a good hour. You'll know it's ready when the sauce has reduced and the meat is tender.
6. Season to taste.
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