frypan over medium-high heat. Working
in batches, add sourdough and cook for
1-2 minutes each side or until golden. 1-2 minutes each side or until golden.
Remove and drain on paper towel.Remove and drain on paper towel.
Combine tomato mixture, sourdough Combine tomato mixture, sourdough
and mozzarella on a serving platter. Drain and mozzarella on a serving platter. Drain
cucumber, reserving pickling liquid, and cucumber, reserving pickling liquid, and
add to salad. Drizzle with tomato cooking add to salad. Drizzle with tomato cooking
juices and a little pickling liquid, season juices and a little pickling liquid, season
and scatter with basil to serve.and scatter with basil to serve.
BRAISED RABBIT WITH BRAISED RABBIT WITH
CREAMY POLENTA CREAMY POLENTA
SERVES 4SERVES 4
Don’t shy away from using rabbit in this Don’t shy away from using rabbit in this
recipe, whether it be wild or farmed. recipe, whether it be wild or farmed.
It’s extremely lean and healthy, and the It’s extremely lean and healthy, and the
Italians consume a lot of it. However, Italians consume a lot of it. However,
if you can’t find it or would prefer not to if you can’t find it or would prefer not to
use it, substitute chicken legs instead.use it, substitute chicken legs instead.
1.6kg rabbit (order from butchers), 1.6kg rabbit (order from butchers),
separated into legs and saddleseparated into legs and saddle
(^11) // 33 cup (80ml) olive oil, plus cup (80ml) olive oil, plus
extra to drizzleextra to drizzle
2 carrots, chopped2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, trimmed, thinly sliced2 celery stalks, trimmed, thinly sliced
2 onions, quartered2 onions, quartered
4 garlic cloves, crushed4 garlic cloves, crushed
5 thyme sprigs5 thyme sprigs
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orangeFinely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
20g unsalted butter, chopped20g unsalted butter, chopped
(^11) // 44 cup finely chopped flat-leaf cup finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley leavesparsley leaves
CREAMY POLENTACREAMY POLENTA
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
3 cups (750ml) milk3 cups (750ml) milk
1 cup (170g) polenta1 cup (170g) polenta
1 cup (80g) finely grated parmesan1 cup (80g) finely grated parmesan
20g unsalted butter, chopped20g unsalted butter, chopped
Using a sharp knife, carefully remove and Using a sharp knife, carefully remove and
discard the layer of sinew over the top discard the layer of sinew over the top
side of the rabbit saddle.side of the rabbit saddle.
Heat oil in a flameproof casserole or Heat oil in a flameproof casserole or
saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot,
celery, onion, garlic and thyme. Cook, celery, onion, garlic and thyme. Cook,
stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until
onion has softened. Add mustard seeds onion has softened. Add mustard seeds
and rabbit legs (reserve rabbit saddle for and rabbit legs (reserve rabbit saddle for
later) and cook, stirring occasionally, later) and cook, stirring occasionally,
for 5 minutes or until meat has turned for 5 minutes or until meat has turned
white but is not coloured. white but is not coloured.
Add orange zest and juice to the pan, Add orange zest and juice to the pan,
increase heat to high and bring to the increase heat to high and bring to the
boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook, boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook,
stirring every 30 minutes, for 90 minutes stirring every 30 minutes, for 90 minutes
or until rabbit legs are tender. Add rabbit or until rabbit legs are tender. Add rabbit
saddle for the final 12 minutes and cook saddle for the final 12 minutes and cook
until legs are tender and saddle is just until legs are tender and saddle is just
cooked through. Remove saddle and cooked through. Remove saddle and
halve crossways, then return to pan. halve crossways, then return to pan.
Stir through butter and parsley.Stir through butter and parsley.
Meanwhile, for the creamy polenta, Meanwhile, for the creamy polenta,
in the final 15 minutes of the rabbit’s in the final 15 minutes of the rabbit’s
cooking time, place stock and milk in a cooking time, place stock and milk in a
saucepan over high heat and bring to the saucepan over high heat and bring to the
boil. Gradually whisk in polenta and cook, boil. Gradually whisk in polenta and cook,
whisking constantly, for 2 minutes or until whisking constantly, for 2 minutes or until
mixture is thick and smooth. Reduce mixture is thick and smooth. Reduce
heat to low and cook, stirring constantly heat to low and cook, stirring constantly
with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or
until polenta is creamy. Stir through until polenta is creamy. Stir through
parmesan and butter.parmesan and butter.
Transfer polenta to a serving dish. Transfer polenta to a serving dish.
Season and drizzle with extra oil. Serve Season and drizzle with extra oil. Serve
immediately with braised rabbit.immediately with braised rabbit.
SEMOLINA, ALMOND & ORANGE SEMOLINA, ALMOND & ORANGE
CAKE WITH LEMON CURDCAKE WITH LEMON CURD
SERVES 8-10SERVES 8-10
This was adapted a few years ago from a This was adapted a few years ago from a
Jamie Oliver recipe. I was with family and Jamie Oliver recipe. I was with family and
friends just outside Rome and the house friends just outside Rome and the house
we rented had a garden scattered with we rented had a garden scattered with
orange and lemon trees loaded with citrus orange and lemon trees loaded with citrus
ready to burst. I used the oranges that had ready to burst. I used the oranges that had
already fallen on the ground. Jamie’s already fallen on the ground. Jamie’s
original calls for an orange syrup to original calls for an orange syrup to
be poured over the whole cake when be poured over the whole cake when
it comes out of the oven, but I found it comes out of the oven, but I found
my oranges so full of aroma from the my oranges so full of aroma from the
skins’ oils that the syrup wasn’t needed. skins’ oils that the syrup wasn’t needed.
I made a lemon curd instead and dolloped I made a lemon curd instead and dolloped
some fresh local mascarpone on each some fresh local mascarpone on each
serving plate. serving plate.
20g unsalted butter, melted20g unsalted butter, melted
65g polenta, plus 2 tbs extra to dust65g polenta, plus 2 tbs extra to dust
2 oranges2 oranges
(^33) // 44 tsp baking powder tsp baking powder
6 eggs6 eggs
250g demerara sugar250g demerara sugar
1 cup (180g) fine semolina1 cup (180g) fine semolina
(^33) // 44 cup (75g) almond meal cup (75g) almond meal
Icing sugar, store-bought lemon curd Icing sugar, store-bought lemon curd
and mascarpone, to serveand mascarpone, to serve
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 25cm Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 25cm
round cake pan with melted butter and round cake pan with melted butter and
dust with an even layer of extra polenta, dust with an even layer of extra polenta,
shaking out excess.shaking out excess.
Place oranges in a saucepan and cover Place oranges in a saucepan and cover
with water. Place over high heat and bring with water. Place over high heat and bring
to the boil. Cover surface with a round of to the boil. Cover surface with a round of
baking paper, then a small plate topped baking paper, then a small plate topped
with a weight, such as a food can, to keep with a weight, such as a food can, to keep
the oranges submerged. Reduce heat the oranges submerged. Reduce heat
to low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes to low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes
or until oranges are very tender when or until oranges are very tender when
pierced with a sharp knife. Drain oranges pierced with a sharp knife. Drain oranges
and cut in half, discarding any seeds. and cut in half, discarding any seeds.
Place orange and baking powder Place orange and baking powder
in a food processor and whiz until in a food processor and whiz until
smooth. Set aside.smooth. Set aside.
Place eggs and sugar in a stand mixer Place eggs and sugar in a stand mixer
fitted with the whisk attachment and fitted with the whisk attachment and
whisk for 4 minutes or until tripled in whisk for 4 minutes or until tripled in
volume. Gently fold through orange volume. Gently fold through orange
puree, polenta, semolina and almond puree, polenta, semolina and almond
meal. Pour into prepared pan and bake meal. Pour into prepared pan and bake
for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 160°C for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 160°C
and bake for a further 50 minutes or until and bake for a further 50 minutes or until
a skewer inserted into the centre comes a skewer inserted into the centre comes
out clean. Set aside in pan for 10 minutes, out clean. Set aside in pan for 10 minutes,
then carefully turn out onto a wire rack then carefully turn out onto a wire rack
to cool slightly.to cool slightly.
Dust warm cake with icing sugar, cut Dust warm cake with icing sugar, cut
into pieces and serve with lemon curd into pieces and serve with lemon curd
and mascarpone.and mascarpone.
SHANNON BENNETT.SHANNON BENNETT.
8888 delicious.com.audelicious.com.au