Macleay Valley baby rabbit

Stuffed leg, roast crown, cannellone of shoulder with Marsala and caponata

Yield: 10 portions; 5 x 500g baby white rabbit

Ingredients:

For the rabbit preparation

5 rabbits

For the braised shoulder

200ml sherry

400ml white wine

1 carrot

1 stick celery

½ onion

3 sprigs thyme

2 cloves garlic

500g rabbit bones/spines

3L veal stock

For the cannelloni

150g braised rabbit shoulder meat (from above)

2g picked thyme

300g chicken and rabbit mousse

5ml fresh dry sherry

1g pink salt

100g fresh pasta sheets

For the stuffed legs

200g minced baby rabbit trim

2g picked thyme

25ml Madeira

10ml Masarla

7g salt

70g wagyu fat

500g young crepinette

For the ears

10 ears

Sherry braise (see above)

200g chicken and rabbit mousse

30g dried trompettes de la morte - soaked

10ml Madeira

10ml brandy

1g pink salt

For the garnish

2 mini capsicum

Olive oil

10g baby capers

30g courgette dice

30g roasted capsicum dice

20g aubergine dice

10g confit red onion

300ml Masarla

2g agar agar

6 baby rocket pluche

For the marsala veloute

3 shallots

3 button mushrooms

1 clove garlic

2 sprigs thyme

200ml white wine

150ml Masarla

50g butter

400ml chicken stock

400ml milk

1g pink salt

Method:

Tunnel boning the legs

Remove legs from the saddle, disconnecting the hipbone and ensuring to include all of the thigh muscle with the leg. Disconnect the pelvis from the femur (thigh bone), and remove. Scrape the meat away from the thighbone keeping the meat intact; tunnel bone. When the femur is fully exposed pop the knee joint, and remove the socket. Remaining will be the shinbone, with ankle, and a hollow thigh. Special attention must be taken to ensure there are no holes in the meat, as this will destabilise the leg when stuffing and braising.

For the farci

When rabbits are completely butchered all trimmed meat including belly is to be double picked of any bone, gristle, and cartilage. This trim is then minced with the medium/coarse mincing attachment, with a little wagyu fat and any offal trim taken when cleaning the kidneys and livers. Season with Madeira, brandy, salt, pepper, thyme. Always cook a tester to ensure seasoning is exactly right.

To French the legs

With the heel of your knife cut through the shin bone just below the ankle, ensuring a nice clean cut is achieved, to do this use the heel of a large, sharp chefs knife. The bone can easily splinter at this stage so extra care must be taken. Cut around the shinbone approx 1 inch from the ankle and scrape the meat away.

To stuff the legs

Starting with the knife at the base of the shin bone open the leg up. Cover with cling film and gently bat out the thigh meat ensuring not to create holes and that the bone stays attached. Place a 25g ball of the farci onto the flattened leg and wrap with the flaps of leg meat in such a way as to create a ball/purse shape. As you roll the flesh around the farci hold the bone straight up so as to make sure the bone is in position at the top of the ball. Allow to set in the fridge. Wrap the legs in young crpeinette. Wrap in cling film paying close attention to securing the bone in correct place. Wrap tightly in foil. Poach at 90c degrees for 2 minutes, refresh. Remove from the foil and film. Gently caramelise and place into braising liquor. Braise for 40 minutes. Remove from braise and chill

Braised shoulders

Remove shoulders from rabbit by running the knife under shoulder blade to release. Bring sherry to the boil with wine and remaining ingredients. Allow to cool to room temperature then cover the shoulders. Leave for 24 hours. Witht he rabbit bones and spines caramelise well and pour over marinade, reduce to glaze. Add veal stock and simmer for 20 minutes, strain and reduce to sauce consistency. Pour over shoulders and braise for 30-45 minutes or until meat is tender and flakes easily from the bone.

Pick the meat and chill.

For the cannelloni

Combine the braise, mousse, thyme and sherry. Roll into cling film at 5cm long; poach at 75c degrees for 8 minutes. Chill and remove cling film. Place on piece of pasta roll and secure top and ends, Blanch in boiling salted water. For service heat through and carve in 2.

For the crowns

Dislocate the ribs from the cartilage with a gentle popping motion. It is important at this stage to not crack the ribs. The ribs are very delicate so it is important to treat this stage with much care. Once the ribs are free from the cage, gently peel back the belly fully exposing the bones and loin. Trim this off at the base of the loin and set aside for farci. With scissors separate the loin from the spine (retain for braising liquor) and trim off any silver skin or sinew. Trim and roll the loin along itself to resemble a crown of ribs. Gently caramelise and roast a la minute at 170c degrees for 2 minutes.

For the offal

Remove the offal from the rabbit, trim off all fat and silver skin and soak in milk with thyme and garlic, rinse and store in fresh milk daily. For service quickly sear in a hot pan, finishing with butter, lemon and pink salt. Carve and serve medium rare.

For the ears

Trim the ear sets of all remnants of fur. Place the ears in a braising liquor made with sherry, mirepoix and rabbit stock. Cover with a cartouche and braise in at 130C for 2 ½ hours. Remove ears from braise and allow to cool. When the ears are cool, trim of any large pieces of cartilage. The ears are to be rolled with a stuffing of chicken mousse and diced trompettes. The ears are shaped into a cone, and wrapped in cling film. They are then poached and crumbed. For service the ears are deep fried, trimmed at the base and warmed through in a moderate oven.

For the masarla veloute

Sweat shallots, mushroom, thyme and garlic. Deglaze with alcohols, reduce to a glaze then add chicken stock, reduce by half. Add milk and simmer for 5 minutes, blits and pass, finish with a little fresh masarla and butter.

For the garnish.

Slow roast and peel capsicums. With one; peel and fold loosely, semi dry for 1 hour; with the other peel and dice. Combine with diced blanched courgette, diced fried aubergine, confit onion and capers. Arrange on plate with masarla gel (made with agar agar), frothy veloute and petit rocket leaves.