Rabbit terrine with potato bread, cabbage and bacon

Ingredients;

For the rabbit;

                                                        

2 rabbits each 1kg weight                                            

1ltr duck fat                                                                       

2 bay leaves                                                                      

2 sprigs of thyme                                                            

4 black peppercorns                                                      

Coarse sea salt                                                                 

                                                                                    

For the terrine;

1 whole foie gras

1tblsp brandy

1tblsp Madeira

Maldon salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1ltr chicken stock

½ Savoy cabbage thinly sliced

12 Girolle mushrooms

2tblsp finely chopped chives

Truffle shavings (optional)

4 large Maris piper potatoes, squared and sliced

8 sheets of gelatine

For the cabbage and bacon;

1 medium sized carrot, peeled and very finely diced

1 small onion, very finely diced

4 cloves of garlic crushed

4 rashers of smoked bacon very finely diced

200g butter

½ Savoy cabbage, very finely shredded

Seasoning

For the potato bread;

4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved                                                                                                                                                 

1 pinch salt                                                                                                                                                                                           

¼ cup plain flour, plus extra for dusting     
1tblsp melted butter

Method;

For the rabbit;

Joint the rabbit into hind legs and saddle, remove the rib cage and neck. Place into a large oven tray and pour over melted duck fat and the remaining ingredients. Place a sheet of grease proof paper over the rabbits and cover with tin foil. Place into a 180c oven and cook for 1 and a quarter hours or until rabbits is very tender. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the fat. When cool enough to handle remove the rabbit and scrape of all the excess fat, herbs and spices. Remove the meat from the bones in large pieces and reserve.

For the foie gras;

Bring the foie gras to room temperature and unravel the lobes into 2 halves, peel away the fine membrane and central veins, do not damage the lobes. Reshape the foie gras gently without over handling. Place on a roasting tray and sprinkle with brandy and Madeira, leave to marinade for 30mins and then roast at 180c for 12mins. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Reserve all the fat that seeps from the foie gras.

For the terrine;

Heat a little butter in a pan and sauté the cabbage until wilted, remove and drain. Add a little more butter to the pan and sauté the mushrooms, remove, drain and mix with the cabbage. When cooled add the chopped chives and the truffle shavings, season well. Cook the potatoes in the chicken stock until tender, cool and reserve. Bring the chicken stock back to the boil and add the soaked gelatine leaves. Cool to room temperature.

Start layering the terrine. Pour a little jelly in the base and add some of the cabbage mix. Lay half the rabbit on top and pour over a little more jelly, top with half the potatoes and half the foie gras. Pour over a little more jelly and repeat until all ingredients are used. Finish with a layer of cabbage mix. Tap the terrine on a work surface to remove any air bubbles and allow to set in the fridge over night.

For the cabbage and bacon;

Place a large pot of salted water on to boil.

In a separate pan add the carrots, onion, garlic, bacon and butter and cook over a very low heat until very tender and all the natural sweetness has been drawn from the veg, 20-25mins.

Blanch the cabbage in the boiling water for 2mins, until just wilted, drain well and add to the vegetable mix and stir well to coat, making sure everything is evenly mixed.

Season to taste.

For the potato bread;

In a pot, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer on medium-high heat until the center of the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Drain, return potatoes to pot and allow to completely dry out over remaining heat. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.

Place warm mashed potato in medium bowl. Stir in flour, salt and melted butter. Mix lightly until dough forms.

On a well floured surface, knead the dough lightly. The dough will be sticky. Use a floured rolling pin to flatten into a 20cm circle about 1cm thick. Cut into quarters using a floured knife; alternatively shape the potato bread into small cakes as we do in the merchant.

Sprinkle a little flour into the base of the skillet or a dry frying pan and cook the farls for 3 minutes on each side or until evenly browned.

The potato cakes are now ready to use as you wish.

To serve;

Pan fry the potato bread in a little butter on both sides, bring the terrine to room temperature and cut in 4cm thick slices. Serve the terrine at room temperature with a quenelle of cabbage and the pan fried potato bread.