How to Stuff a Rabbit!
Keep it clean!!
Here’s a dish I’m trying at the moment, stuffed rabbit saddle with Italian bacon, carrot puree, flageolets, truffled gnocchi, tarragon infused rabbit sauce etc…It’s a time consuming job and I never sell enough of them to make it worth my while. If I served it cold as a starter it would sell like a proverbial hot cake but as a main course? a near waste of time.
I refuse to be defeated however, here’s the first draught of the dish, there’s a bit too much going on so I need to tinker around with it. I’ll post another version soon when I get it looking how I want it to look but here’s the first attempt. These photos are always poor because I am taking them as snap shots in the middle of service. They are only designed for me to look at later and make notes as to any changes I wish to make. The lighting in the kitchens is generally awful for photography, the food is plated under halogen heat lamps and obviously once the dish is finished I can’t hang around photographing it so out it goes.
Anyway, all I’ve done is remove the fillets from the rabbit, I keep the flap of skin attached to the meat and cover it with a stuffing of pureed rabbit meat, rabbit offal, shallots, pancetta, thyme and garlic all moistened with a splash of madeira. I roll the fillets up into a cigar shape and roll it again in pancetta slices.
The great thing about the forcemeat is that it helps keep the rabbit moist which is essential, covering it in fatty bacon doesn’t hurt either, there is little worse than dry rabbit meat.
The canons are left to set in the refrigerator and then cooked in tin foil for twelve minutes exactly in a hot oven. Left to rest for four minutes they are then sliced onto the plate and served with a reduction of the rabbit stock made from the carcasses.
Stuffed Rabbit Saddle
I’ll keep working on it and show you the finished dish in a few days.
Chef,
I’ve said this before I know but I think somehow there should be pictures like this available to the diner.
I know it all sounds a it “Little Chef” but being honest if I had the choice of anything on one of your menus and I was out for a special meal I doubt I would order
Stuffed Rabbit Saddle
However, looking at your photo . . . I would try it.
I wonder how many dishes would sell better if people simply saw how they looked ?
Cheers
Rod
PS: To back up my theory, how many times have you heard or seen somebody in a restaurant looking at what waiters bring out and asking what it is , sayiong that looks nice, wish I’d ordered that etc ?
August 22, 2009 @ 7:51 am
Miles,
I tend to agree with Rod’s comments. Very often I look at your photos and feel very tempted to try the dishes I might have been nervous to choose.
I am one of those customers who has looked at other people’s plates and either wondered or asked what they had ordered.
With your excellent photography it would not ‘cheapen’ your menu in any way but enhance it and give credit to your work and innovation.
Food for thought?
Anne
August 22, 2009 @ 9:24 am
Miles,
Great looking stuff. I’ve only done it once but I found saddling a rabbit one of the trickiest tasks I’ve tried in my own kitchen. Must have taken the best part of thirty minutes for a single bunny. Massive fan of rabbit though. Such a good bit of meat for the money.
On pictures on menus, put me down as an anti. Make the staff work, that’s what the 12.5% service charge is for!
GDave
August 22, 2009 @ 7:28 pm
Chef
are the whole carrots ironic
August 22, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
Carrots–ironic or iconic? Discuss.
August 22, 2009 @ 8:25 pm
Rod,
Hear what you’re saying but it’s not really in line with some of the restaurants. It’s down to the service staff to comunicate the dishes to the customers.
Miles
August 22, 2009 @ 10:42 pm
Anne,
As above!!
Miles
August 22, 2009 @ 10:43 pm
GDave
Well said!! As for the rabbit, it does take practice but is worth the effort. Rabbit bones make a superb stock.
Miles
August 22, 2009 @ 10:55 pm
Rod,
Yes!!!
Miles
August 22, 2009 @ 10:56 pm
Miles,
I understand it’s a no-go handing out laminated wipe clean cards
How about a classy glass topped lectern in the foyer or reception etc.
I can appreciate all the issues I just think the food is so good and you put so much work into creating it it deserves every chance.
So many times on this site I’ve seen a post title and thought hm doubt I’d order that from a comprehensive menu - then you seee that picture . . .
I know it’s corny stuff and I also know I’m suggesting nothing you’ve not considered yourself - just wanted to add something different in the comment section other than ‘looks delicious’
Are you stuffing a rat for Sunday lunch
Best
Rod
August 23, 2009 @ 8:26 am
Rod,
I do agree in many ways, just a question of practicality really. No stuffed rat today mate. Day off!!
Miles
August 23, 2009 @ 12:03 pm
Miles,
For the record our produce often gets overlooked unless we let people sample…. it makes an enormous difference. That rabbit dish is just what I might order, not too much meat but prepared and cooked to perfection.
I agree with Anne, it’s a shame that all your wonderful dishes can’t be photographed…. although very expensive to print in the first place let alone with regular changes. Perhaps just the one photo of the latest dish or one you wish to promote. Have you thought about employing Anne and myself as foodie cheerleaders (in disguise naturally
) planted in the waiting area, we could really boost sales…. or there again cause them to fall depending on the disguise (can we have a decent budget this time…. the old Village People gear is looking threadbare and not altogether suitable for the post 
) Perhaps you’d have more faith in us if we’d managed to sell your brother by now as dish of the day…. even with a photograph I might add 
Cid
August 23, 2009 @ 8:46 pm
Cid,
I agree and it makes perfect sense in a deli environment for example but logistically it would be difficult to do in our situation.
Miles
August 23, 2009 @ 9:25 pm