INGREDIENTS

(serves four)

215g lean rabbit meat
1 small egg white
200ml double cream
Salt and pepper
Pinch fresh thyme leaves
2 shallots, finely chopped
60g butter
1 small clove of garlic
2 chopped leeks
1 leg of confit rabbit (optional)
20 trompettes de mort, to garnish
175ml foie gras cream sauce

METHOD

Remove any membrane from the rabbit meat and cut into rough dice. Blitz in a food processor for about 10 seconds until smooth, then add the egg white and blitz again for five seconds. Pass through a fine sieve or drum sieve and chill for 10 minutes.

Working over an ice bath, beat in the cream a little at a time until it is all incorporated, and chill for about 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and check consistency, adding more cream if necessary. Season and add the thyme.

Fill a piping bag with the mousse and, on a 20cm piece of clingfilm, pipe a 10cm length of mousse about 2.5cm in diameter 2.5cm in from the edge. Roll the clingfilm tightly and tie at each end. Repeat three more times. Bring the sausages to the boil in a pan of water then remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. Refrigerate.

Sweat the shallots in 20g butter with garlic until soft. Add the leeks and flaked rabbit confit. Cook until soft, and reserve. Remove the sausages from the clingfilm, colour in the rest of the butter then roast in a moderate oven. When the sausages start to puff up, remove and serve on the bed of leeks. Dress the plate with sautéd mushrooms and a drizzle of the foie gras cream.