Month: February 2024

Rabbit with white wine and celery

Another rabbit recipe. I keep finding more, and I’m still working through them; who knew there were so many? This one was especially tasty, and I would make it again, no bother. It might be good with green olives as well. I served it with polenta, but mashed potatoes would be good as well. 

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 1 wild rabbit, jointed
  • 30g butter, or a mixture of butter and lard
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
  • 1 can of chopped tomatoes, or 250g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 300ml dry white wine
  • salt and pepper

METHOD:

  • In a large casserole dish or lidded saucepan, brown the rabbit pieces in the butter and lard. Remove from the pan and put to one side
  • In the butter and lard, brown the onion for five minutes, and then add the celery and garlic for another couple of minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, and simmer for five minutes
  • Return the rabbit to the pan, and pour over the white wine. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer
  • Reduce the heat and cook slowly for around 2 hours, or until the rabbit is nice and tender. If the sauce is looking a bit dry, add some more wine. 

Serve with polenta or mashed potatoes. 

Venison slow-cooked in red wine

This is a very simple French recipe for cooking a piece of venison weighing around 1kg all in one piece. There is the small matter of remembering to marinade it for a day first, but there is remarkably little fuss. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 900g venison for stewing, all in one piece and tied in an oval shape. 
  • 4 tbsp port
  • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp white flour
  • 1 large onion, sliced finely
  • pork or bacon rind, in one piece
  • A little red wine if required, around 200ml
  • salt and pepper

METHOD:

  • Put the venison into a container with a lid, along with the port, vinegar and olive oil. The venison should just fit. Marinade for 24 hours.
  • Take out the meat, pat it dry and coat it with white flour. Put it into a dish with a lit that is just the right size, and pour over the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a layer of sliced onions, and then the pork rind. 
  • Cover with a lid and cook in a slow oven, around 130 to 140C for 4 hours. You may need to check up on the venison during the cooking. If it is looking a little dry, add some red wine. 

When it is cooked it will be very tender and shred easily. Serve on hot plates with celeriac mash, a green vegetable, and with red currant or rowan jelly on the side. 

Spicy lentil and bulgur wheat soup

This is a Turkish dish, very quick and simple, from Anatolia. There are several variations, depending on the region. Essentially, it is a thick lentil soup flavoured with mint, red pepper flakes and olive oil. I find it is better with bulgur wheat added. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 300g red lentils, rinsed
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 4 tbsp bulgur wheat, rinsed
  • 2 litres of water 
  • 4 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp red pepper paste (I buy this online and freeze it in portions)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp dried mint
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Another tbsp extra tasty olive oil

METHOD:

  • In a large soup pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil, and fry the onion over a medium heat for a couple of minutes. 
  • Add the chopped garlic, and fry, stirring, for another minute. 
  • Add the lentils and the water and bring to the boil, and cook for around 30 minutes. 
  • Stir in the bulgur wheat, tomato paste, red pepper paste, dried mint, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for another ten minutes, until the bulgur wheat is cooked. Add water if the soup appears too thick. When the bulgur wheat is cooked, give the soup a whisk with a large beater to mix well.
  • Add the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning. 
  • To serve, add a swirl of olive oil and a garnish of mint and red pepper flakes.