Emma Clarke's signature dish from Heat 1 of MasterChef 2014
Ingredients
- for the rabbit:
- 2 loins of rabbit (could i have two more for back up please)
- unsmoked streaky bacon for larding
- parsley
- tarragon
- mustard glaze:
- dijon mustard
- honey
- butter
- vegetable oil
- for the potato:
- 400 g rooster potatoes
- 50 g butter
- 1 egg yoke
- 50ml whipped cream
- maldon salt
- white pepper
- whole nutmeg
- for the cauliflower fritters:
- 1 cauliflower
- sweet marinade
- batter
- ground nut oil for frying
- for the sweet marinade:
- 50 ml white wine
- 1 small onion
- 1 shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tblsp olive oil
- a few sprigs of tarragon
- a few sprigs of flat leaf parsley
- salt
- pepper
- for the batter:
- 100 g plain flour
- 5g baking powder
- 15 ml groundnut oil
- 125 ml warm water
- salt
- 1 egg white whisked into stiff peeks
- for the jus:
- white wine
- 100 ml rabbit or veal stock
- for decoration:
- chervil sprigs
- micro water cress
Method
- For the rabbit:
- Preheat the oven to 240C.
- Remove the loins from the rabbit and place them together with a thicker end at each end.
- Place a few sprigs of parsley and tarragon between the loins and wrap the bacon around the rabbit and truss with string.
- Place the rabbit in the steal tray, along with the bones and bake in the oven for approx. 15-18 minutes until it reaches a core temperature of 60C and is still pink inside.
- Mustard Glaze:
- Sear the roasted rabbit loin on the frying pan in a little vegetable oil to colour the bacon.
- Add 1tsp of mustard, and 1 tsp of honey to the frying pan and stir.
- Add some butter to give it a nice sheen and baste the loin.
- Leave the rabbit to rest on a chopping board.
- Carve in 1cm thick rounds.
- For the potatoes:
- Boil salted water in a pot.
- Peel and wash the potatoes, and boil for 12-15 minutes.
- Whisk the cream in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
- Drain the potatoes and put back on the hob for 30 seconds to evaporate excess water.
- Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer.
- Using a wooden spoon, mix in the butter and egg yoke.
- Season with salt, pepper and add fresh grated nutmeg to taste.
- Stir in the cream.
- For the Cauliflower Fritters:
- To make the batter, sieve the flour, salt and baking powder into a mixing bowl and whisk in the oil, water. Set aside the egg white in a bowl
- Using a pairing knife cut the florets off the stalk keeping a 1cm length of stalk on each floret and place in a mixing bowl.
- To make the marinade for the cauliflower, chop the onion, garlic, shallot, parsley, tarragon and mix with the wine and oil in a medium sized mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the cauliflower florets and marinade for 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil in the deep fat fryer to 180C.
- Coat the florets in the batter and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden.
- Place the florets on paper towel to drain.
- For the Jus:
- Using the roasting pan of the rabbit with the roasted bones, place on the hob and deglaze with the wine and veal/ rabbit stock. Scrape off all the caramelised meat juices and reduce the liquid.
- Strain the jus through a chinois with muslin cloth and serve with the rabbit.
- Finish:
- Heat the plate in the oven.
- Spoon the potato onto the centre of the plate.
- Position 3 rounds of rabbit on top of the potato.
- Spoon the jus around the plate and place 3 cauliflower florets around the rabbit.
- Garnish with chervil sprigs and micro watercress.
