Wild Rabbit Pie In Coarse Grain Mustard Sauce With Leeks And Mushrooms

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Wild Rabbit Pie In Coarse Grain Mustard Sauce With Leeks And Mushrooms

Recipe supplied by Charles Lakin, Head Chef at The Marquis at Alkham, Alkham Valley, Dover, Kent. www.themarquisatalkham.co.uk.

Tel: 01304 873410
Email: info@themarquisatalkham.co.uk

Ingredients:

2 wild rabbits
1 white onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 bay leaves
4 sprigs oft thyme
50g butter
2 carrots
2 sticks of celery
50g of flour
150ml double cream
50 ml green ginger wine (optional)
1 tbsp coarse grain mustard
25g chopped sage
1 kg puff pastry
1 leek
150 chestnut mushrooms

Coking Instructions:

Joint the rabbits into legs, loin and shoulders. Place in a heavy-based pot with half of the onion, 2 cloves of garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cover with water and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25 mins or until the meat is tender. Remove the rabbit from the stock and leave to one side; pass the stock into a clean container and place to the side.

Roll the puff pastry out flat until 1.2 cm thick then cut into 4 x 15cm discs. Brush with egg wash and leave to rest.

Turn the oven on to 180C / gas mark 7.

Dice the remaining onion, carrot and celery into 1cm pieces and gently sweat in a heavy-based pan with the butter. Finely chop the garlic and add to the vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook until a smooth paste forms. Gradually add half the stock, stirring continuously to avoid lumps forming. Cook for 5 minutes then stir in the cream, green ginger wine if using and the course grain mustard.

Place the pastry discs into the oven and cook for 10 / 12 mins or until golden brown. Pick the cooked rabbit meat off the bones and any veins. Bring the sauce back to the boil and add the rabbit and the sage. Check the seasoning and keep warm. Slice the leeks into 1/2cm slices, mushrooms and wash both vegetables. Sweat in a little oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and keep warm. Slice the pastry cases in half and place the bottom in the middle of the plates, then evenly spoon the filling on top of each pastry disc followed by the remaining pastry discs on top. Finally, spoon the mushrooms and leeks around the edge of the pie and serve.

This recipe could be made using 2.5lb / 1kg chicken