This recipe for wild rabbit and leek turnover with piccalilli made Lisa Allen, head chef at the Michelin-starred Northcote in Blackburn, Lancashire, one of the four winning finalists in the BBC's Great British Menu 2010. There are more winning recipes from the show in our article, Meet the four finalists in the Great British Menu 2010.
INGREDIENTS
(Serves four)
For the rough puff pastry
• 900g white bread flour, plus extra for flouring
• 665g unsalted softened butter, diced
• 12g salt
• 1tsp caster sugar
• 3tbs lemon juice
• 210ml water
For the piccalilli
• 400ml white wine vinegar, preferably Chardonnay
• 200ml water
• 120g sugar
• 1tsp English mustard
• 1tsp ground turmeric
• 16 baby carrots, peeled, tops removed
• 16 cauliflower florets
• 200g cucumber, diced
• 4 spring onions, sliced into long strips
For the leek and onion stuffing
• Knob of butter
• 100g leek, white part only, finely shredded
• 30g onion, peeled, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 60g whipping cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1tsp chopped fresh chives
For the dressing
• 200ml piccalilli juices, see above
• ½tsp potato flour, mixed with ½tsp water
For the turnover
• 2 x 300g rabbit saddles
• Salt and white pepper
• 4 slices ham, preferably Cumbrian
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
To serve
• 50g watercress leaves, preferably organic
METHOD
For the rough puff pastry
Blend the flour and 165g of the butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the remaining butter and blend for 2-3 minutes, or until just combined.
Mix the salt, sugar, lemon juice and water together in a bowl. With the motor running, slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture until the mixture just comes together as a dough. Tip the dough out onto a work surface and knead lightly for 2-3 minutes. Shape the pastry into a flat square, wrap in clingfilm and set aside to rest in the fridge overnight.
Roll the rested dough out on a lightly floured work surface into a large rectangle 1cm thick. Fold the top and bottom of the rectangle into the centre, folding the pastry into a third of its size. Turn the pastry a quarter-turn clockwise and carefully roll out again into the same size rectangle as the one you started with. Fold the top and bottom of the rectangle into the centre, folding the pastry into a third of its size. Repeat the turning, rolling and folding process 2 more times.
For the piccalilli
Heat the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan until boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the English mustard and turmeric. Set aside. Cook the carrots and cauliflower florets in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain, then refresh in a bowl of iced water and drain again.
Mix the carrot, cauliflower, cucumber, spring onions and vinegar mixture together in a bowl. Cover and set aside to marinate for one day.
For the leek and onion stuffing
Melt the butter in a frying pan until foaming, add the leek and onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic, cream, salt and pepper and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. Stir in the chives.
For the dressing
Drain 200ml of the piccalilli liquid and heat in a saucepan until boiling. Whisk in the potato flour mixture. Cool, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve and set aside to chill in the fridge.
For the turnover
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Using a sharp knife, remove the loins from the rabbit saddles and cut each loin in half. Season each loin piece, to taste, with salt and white pepper. Spoon some of the leek and onion stuffing mixture onto each piece of rabbit loin and wrap in a slice of ham.
Roll the puff pastry out to ½cm thick and cut out 4 x 11cm square pieces. Place the wrapped rabbit loin into the middle of each piece of puff pastry and brush the edges with a little beaten egg. Fold the pastry over, pinch the sides together, being careful not to create any air pockets, cut away any excess pastry, and seal the sides together with the rear side of a fork. With a sharp knife, make three small cuts on the top of each turnover and place onto the baking tray. Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C. Brush each turnover with a little beaten egg and bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until golden-brown.
To serve
Place 2 spoonfuls of piccalilli onto the left-hand side of each serving plate and spoon a little of the dressing alongside the piccalilli. Place a turnover onto each plate and garnish with watercress.