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Ingredients
For the sauce
250ml/9fl oz fresh game or chicken stock
125ml/4fl oz good red wine
6 juniper berries, crushed
1 bay leaf
For the squash
1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
1 small pumpkin or squash (such as acorn squash), peeled, deseeded and cubed
olive oil
25g/1oz unsalted butter
150g/5½oz girolle mushrooms, cleaned
150g/5½oz chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
splash white wine vinegar
For the hare
4 x 150g/5½oz fillets of hare, taken from 2 saddles of hare
2 tbsp fennel seeds
sea salt and black pepper
vegetable oil
knob of unsalted butter
For the fennel crisps
1 fennel bulb, finely sliced, leafy tops reserved
vegetable oil for deep frying
Preparation method
1.Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2.For the sauce, put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes until reduced and thickened to an almost syrupy consistency. Strain, return to a clean pan and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reheat gently before serving.
3.Place the butternut squash and pumpkin into a roasting tin, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.
4.For the hare, place the fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt and pepper then grind to a fine powder. Roll the hare fillets in the powder and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
5.To finish the squash, heat a large knob of butter in a frying pan until foaming, add the mushrooms and fry quickly for two minutes until golden. Add the roasted squash and pumpkin with a splash of white wine vinegar and mix to combine.
6.For the fennel, heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. Alternatively, use an electric deep-fat fryer heated to 180C/350F. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Deep-fry the fennel until golden-brown and crisp, drain on kitchen paper and season with sea salt.
7.To finish the hare, heat a little vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan and gently fry the hare fillets for 2-3 minutes on one side then turn and add a large knob of butter to the pan. Fry for a further two minutes, basting the meat in foaming butter. Remove from the pan and rest for five minutes on a warm plate.
8.Slice the hare fillets and serve on a bed of caramelised squash and mushrooms. Top with the fennel crisps and drizzle over some of the sauce. Garnish with the fennel tops.
For the sauce
250ml/9fl oz fresh game or chicken stock
125ml/4fl oz good red wine
6 juniper berries, crushed
1 bay leaf
For the squash
1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
1 small pumpkin or squash (such as acorn squash), peeled, deseeded and cubed
olive oil
25g/1oz unsalted butter
150g/5½oz girolle mushrooms, cleaned
150g/5½oz chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
splash white wine vinegar
For the hare
4 x 150g/5½oz fillets of hare, taken from 2 saddles of hare
2 tbsp fennel seeds
sea salt and black pepper
vegetable oil
knob of unsalted butter
For the fennel crisps
1 fennel bulb, finely sliced, leafy tops reserved
vegetable oil for deep frying
Preparation method
1.Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2.For the sauce, put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes until reduced and thickened to an almost syrupy consistency. Strain, return to a clean pan and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reheat gently before serving.
3.Place the butternut squash and pumpkin into a roasting tin, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.
4.For the hare, place the fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt and pepper then grind to a fine powder. Roll the hare fillets in the powder and leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
5.To finish the squash, heat a large knob of butter in a frying pan until foaming, add the mushrooms and fry quickly for two minutes until golden. Add the roasted squash and pumpkin with a splash of white wine vinegar and mix to combine.
6.For the fennel, heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. Alternatively, use an electric deep-fat fryer heated to 180C/350F. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Deep-fry the fennel until golden-brown and crisp, drain on kitchen paper and season with sea salt.
7.To finish the hare, heat a little vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan and gently fry the hare fillets for 2-3 minutes on one side then turn and add a large knob of butter to the pan. Fry for a further two minutes, basting the meat in foaming butter. Remove from the pan and rest for five minutes on a warm plate.
8.Slice the hare fillets and serve on a bed of caramelised squash and mushrooms. Top with the fennel crisps and drizzle over some of the sauce. Garnish with the fennel tops.
