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Ingredients
•A saddle of hare 1oz butter
•2 tsp olive oil
•1 tsp fresh, chopped thyme
•four juniper berries
•six white peppercorns
•a pinch of salt
•1⁄2 glass of port
•1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
•2 tbsp soured cream
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare the hare by running a knife along the spine (as close to it as possible), then working the knife down, so that the fillet comes away in one clean piece. Remove the silvery skin (on the top of the fillet) as you would skin a fish — lay the meat skin-side down on a board, and using a very sharp, thin knife, cut just above the skin. Flatten the knife, so that it is parallel to the board, and, putting your fingertips on the skin, pull the knife away from you, keeping it flat and pressing down slightly.
2. Crush the juniper and white peppercorns with a pestle and mortar until they are fine, and then add the chopped thyme.
3. Melt half the butter and add the olive oil in a frying pan — preferably one with a metal handle that can go into the oven. Once the fat is extremely hot, lay the fillets in the pan. Allow them to sizzle, and turn them occasionally until they are well browned on all sides, or for five minutes. Sprinkle the spice and herb mixture and a pinch of salt over both pieces of meat.
4. Put the remaining butter on the fillets, and place the pan in the oven (transfer the meat to a roasting dish if you can’t put your pan in the oven, but keep the pan for deglazing). Cook for a further 10 minutes, then remove from the oven, using an oven glove. Put the fillets in a pre-warmed dish and cover with foil to rest.
5. Put the frying pan back on a fierce heat. Allow it to get really hot (remember the handle will still be hot) and pour in all the port at once. Use a wooden spatula to loosen all the meat juices. When it is bubbling, turn the heat right down and add the redcurrant jelly. Keep stirring, and when it has all melted and the sauce has thickened slightly, add the soured cream. Whisk well, so that it amalgamates.
6. Cut the fillets into thirds, and serve with the sauce.
Vegetables
I served this dish with hasselback potatoes (a Swedish recipe) and buttered leeks. Peel the potatoes and cut a fl at edge on the long side, so that they will stand up. Next, cut into the top of the potatoes until most of the way down (see picture opposite). Rub in olive oil, and bake in the oven at 200°C for 30 minutes or until browned on the outside and cooked through. Cut the leeks into three sections, discarding the outer layers at the top end, and slice into six, so that you have long strands. Melt some butter in a pan and cook fast for two or three minutes, stirring all the while. Turn the heat down, season well, and cook for another 10 minutes or so.
•A saddle of hare 1oz butter
•2 tsp olive oil
•1 tsp fresh, chopped thyme
•four juniper berries
•six white peppercorns
•a pinch of salt
•1⁄2 glass of port
•1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
•2 tbsp soured cream
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare the hare by running a knife along the spine (as close to it as possible), then working the knife down, so that the fillet comes away in one clean piece. Remove the silvery skin (on the top of the fillet) as you would skin a fish — lay the meat skin-side down on a board, and using a very sharp, thin knife, cut just above the skin. Flatten the knife, so that it is parallel to the board, and, putting your fingertips on the skin, pull the knife away from you, keeping it flat and pressing down slightly.
2. Crush the juniper and white peppercorns with a pestle and mortar until they are fine, and then add the chopped thyme.
3. Melt half the butter and add the olive oil in a frying pan — preferably one with a metal handle that can go into the oven. Once the fat is extremely hot, lay the fillets in the pan. Allow them to sizzle, and turn them occasionally until they are well browned on all sides, or for five minutes. Sprinkle the spice and herb mixture and a pinch of salt over both pieces of meat.
4. Put the remaining butter on the fillets, and place the pan in the oven (transfer the meat to a roasting dish if you can’t put your pan in the oven, but keep the pan for deglazing). Cook for a further 10 minutes, then remove from the oven, using an oven glove. Put the fillets in a pre-warmed dish and cover with foil to rest.
5. Put the frying pan back on a fierce heat. Allow it to get really hot (remember the handle will still be hot) and pour in all the port at once. Use a wooden spatula to loosen all the meat juices. When it is bubbling, turn the heat right down and add the redcurrant jelly. Keep stirring, and when it has all melted and the sauce has thickened slightly, add the soured cream. Whisk well, so that it amalgamates.
6. Cut the fillets into thirds, and serve with the sauce.
Vegetables
I served this dish with hasselback potatoes (a Swedish recipe) and buttered leeks. Peel the potatoes and cut a fl at edge on the long side, so that they will stand up. Next, cut into the top of the potatoes until most of the way down (see picture opposite). Rub in olive oil, and bake in the oven at 200°C for 30 minutes or until browned on the outside and cooked through. Cut the leeks into three sections, discarding the outer layers at the top end, and slice into six, so that you have long strands. Melt some butter in a pan and cook fast for two or three minutes, stirring all the while. Turn the heat down, season well, and cook for another 10 minutes or so.
