We eat a number of good meals, so it’s all the time a problem to provide you with one thing out of the atypical for Christmas dinner. After I was at Hanos, I picked up a hare fillet, parsley root, and chard—all elements that we infrequently eat. I wished to make one thing Italian, however I didn’t know any Italian recipes with hare fillet, solely extra rustic stews (lepre in umido). I made a decision to make use of Gemini as an AI sparring associate to provide you with a dish and requested Gemini for traditional Italian recipes with hare. He got here up with a Piedmontese dish (Lepre alla Cugnà with grapes and hazelnuts), an Umbria/Lazio dish (Lepre all’Etrusca with juniper berries and black pepper), and a Tuscan dish (Lepre in Dolceforte with chocolate, pine nuts, raisins, candied fruit, vinegar, and sugar). The Lepre in Dolceforte seemed like it will be essentially the most tasty, and it will work very effectively with a pleasant Masi Amarone Costasera I had.
Lepre in Dolceforte is a medieval recipe that’s historically a stew that additionally comprises the blood of the hare, much like a French “Royale” sauce as served at De Librije. As all the time in recipes for wild sport, the meat is marinated and married with sturdy flavors to masks the gamey taste. I wished to show this right into a refined model by serving the hare fillets uncommon, however with a jus that has all of the elements (apart from the blood) of the basic Dolceforte. The one change I made was that I substituted vinegar and sugar with vincotto for a extra advanced and chic taste. Gemini suggested to maintain the jus velvety and easy with none bits in it, and I agreed. I made a decision to infuse the wine with the raisins and candied orange, however serve the raisins with the chard and use solely a really small quantity of candied orange as a garnish due to the sturdy taste.
A typical Tuscan vegetable to make use of could be Tuscan kale (cavolo nero), however we had simply eaten that the day earlier than and I believed the earthy taste of the chard could be a extra elegant mixture with the hare than the kale. To maintain issues Tuscan, I did stir-fry the chard leaves in olive oil with garlic, similar to the cavolo nero would have been ready. For crunch, I added the chard stalks in brunoise for the final couple of minutes solely. I additionally included the pine nuts and the raisins from the Dolceforte recipe with the chard as an alternative of the jus.
A typical Tuscan puree to make use of could be considered one of beans (Cannellini), however I had the parsley root in my fridge and it is vitally Italian to make use of what’s in your fridge and keep away from waste. In addition to, I additionally thought the parsley root could be lighter and extra elegant and would work higher. When you can’t discover parsley root, celery root (celeriac) has the same taste and texture.
The ultimate piece of the puzzle was cook dinner the hare. Hare is purple meat that will get an disagreeable taste of iron and a mealy texture when cooked to only some levels too excessive. To keep away from this threat, I made a decision to sear the hare first (very briefly over very excessive warmth), enable it to chill utterly, after which cook dinner it sous-vide at 48°C (118°F) to serve. To keep away from the hare cooling off too shortly, I used preheated plates (as I all the time do), served the hare on prime of the new parsley root puree, and meant to cowl it with the new Dolceforte jus. It’s not possible to develop a crispy exterior on the hare with out overcooking it anyway, so searing earlier than the sous-vide was the perfect technique right here.
I typically cook dinner extra from intuition and make it up as I’m going. It’s uncommon that I spend as a lot time designing a dish beforehand as for this one. It did assist that I had Gemini to speak to, to maintain observe of what I had determined, and to make recommendations. When working with generative AI you will need to keep alert your self, as a result of there have been fairly a number of slips as effectively. Chances are you’ll discover there aren’t any herbs (rosemary, sage, bay leaf) within the ingredient photograph. It is because Gemini didn’t point out them as elements within the basic Dolceforte recipe I had requested him to offer. I solely realized whereas I used to be already cooking that there have been no herbs in any respect, which didn’t appear proper. So I requested Gemini in regards to the herbs and he confessed that the basic recipe does certainly embody rosemary, sage, and bay leaf. So I added them simply in time after I was already sautéing the aromatics for the jus (fortunately I’ve all of them in my herb backyard).
The hassle actually paid off. This was one of the vital scrumptious dishes I’ve ever created. Kees, my father, and his girlfriend have been additionally impressed with how scrumptious this was. The flavour and texture of the hare have been excellent. The sauce had a splendidly deep and sophisticated taste that complemented the hare very effectively. The mixture with the velvety parsley root puree and the texturally numerous chard with pine nuts and raisins was great. If I have been to open a restaurant, this would definitely be on the menu and I’ll undoubtedly make this once more.
The one factor that I’ll do otherwise subsequent time is to scale back the jus a bit much less. I’m used to thickening a jus by whisking in items of chilly butter to create an emulsion. Letting solely 10 grams of minced chocolate soften within the jus made the sauce thicken way more than I had anticipated, and because it cooled barely it turned thicker nonetheless. The thickness made it not possible to cowl the meat utterly with the jus, as I had deliberate, as a result of it didn’t circulate out as a lot — it was even exhausting to get out of the saucepan. I didn’t dare so as to add extra liquid and reheat the sauce, for worry it will break up. So I simply served it like that, accepting that it will cool off extra shortly than I had wished. Nevertheless it was nonetheless scrumptious. The photograph of the plated shot doesn’t do it justice, as I wished to begin consuming quite than spending time on the photograph.
Wild hare (Lepus europaeus) could also be tough to search out within the US, and it undoubtedly can’t be substituted with rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Whereas the animals might look alike—fluffy, hopping, and with huge ears—the meat is totally completely different. Rabbit is a chicken with a really delicate taste, whereas hare is a purple meat with a strong taste. Jackrabbit (resembling Lepus californicus) is the closest equal within the US, however it might be exhausting to search out in case you are not a hunter. You can make the dish with venison and it will be good, however the reference to the Tuscan unique could be misplaced utterly.
Components
For two massive or 4 small servings as secondo piatto
- 1 bone-in hare saddle, roughly 600 grams (1.3 lbs), with fillets and tenderloins eliminated and bones reserved
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
- 5 juniper berries
- 1 clove
- 50 grams lardo or pancetta, finely chopped
- 10 grams darkish chocolate (85%), minced
- 150 grams chard leaves, chopped
- 75 grams chard stalks, diced into brunoise
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and thickly sliced
- 50 grams (1/3 cup) diced onion
- 50 grams (1/3 cup) diced celery
- 50 grams (1/3 cup) diced carrot
- 250 ml (1 cup) Sangiovese (Chianti) or different dry purple wine
- clarified butter or additional virgin olive oil
- additional virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp vincotto
- 300 grams (0.66 lb) peeled and diced parsley root (substitute with celeriac)
- 1 Tbsp butter
- Salt and freshly floor black pepper
- 5 grams (1 tsp) finely diced candied orange, plus additional for garnish
- 20 grams (2 Tbsp) raisins
- 20 grams (2 Tbsp) pine nuts
- 1 Tbsp rosemary needles
- 5 sage leaves
- 2 bay leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), fan pressured.
Begin by rigorously reducing the fillets and the tenderloins off the bone, or ask your butcher to do that for you. It’s not too tough to do your self; simply slice carefully alongside the bone with a small however very sharp knife (resembling a paring knife or a boning knife). In my case, the silverskin had already been eliminated. If you’re not as fortunate, it’s simpler to take away it whereas the fillets are nonetheless on the bone.
Reserve the bones and any trimmings for the sauce.
Rub the bones and scraps with olive oil, then place them in an oven dish and roast them for half-hour at 190°C (375°F), fan pressured.
Place 20 grams of pine nuts on an ovenproof dish and toast them in the identical oven till frivolously golden, about 8 minutes.
Season the hare meat with salt on each side, making use of extra salt the place the meat is thicker. The salt will initially draw out some juices, however after about 45 minutes, a lot of the salty juices shall be reabsorbed into the meat (each are the results of osmosis). Salting the meat and letting it relaxation earlier than searing not solely seasons the meat but in addition helps it retain its juices. Lower the meat into parts.
The skinny ends of the fillets have virtually the identical form and thickness because the tenderloins, so you may minimize the meat into 4 equal thick items and 4 equal skinny items, as proven within the photograph.
Pour 250 ml of Sangiovese right into a saucepan and produce it to a boil. Simmer the wine till you may not scent the alcohol, which ought to take about two minutes.
Then, flip off the warmth and add 20 grams of raisins.
Allow them to soak for 10 to fifteen minutes, then pressure the raisins out and reserve them. (When you look carefully on the photograph, you may see that I additionally included the candied orange, juniper berries, clove, and peppercorns on this step. That was a mistake, as I had to select the raisins and return the opposite elements to the inventory. It’s simpler so as to add them later and gained’t make a distinction flavor-wise.)
Chop 50 grams every of carrot, celery, onion, and pancetta or lardo. I additionally used the peelings from the parsley root for the sauce, to keep away from throwing away their taste.
After the salted meat has rested for at the least 45 minutes, dry it effectively with paper towels. You need to discover that the meat doesn’t require a lot drying, as a lot of the juices have been reabsorbed.
Warmth 2 tablespoons of clarified butter (or olive oil) in a frying pan with a thick backside that has good warmth distribution and retention. Be certain the pan may be very effectively preheated, then add the meat, beginning with the thick items and ending with the skinny items. Flip the skinny items after solely 15 seconds, and the thick items after 30–45 seconds.
Take away the skinny items after the second aspect has additionally browned for 15 seconds. They need to have browned sufficiently in case your pan was sizzling sufficient; in any case, inadequate browning is best than overcooking the meat.
Let the meat cool on a plate, uncovered and in a single layer with out the items touching, to allow them to cool off shortly. Permit to chill to room temperature first, then cowl with plastic wrap and chill within the fridge till utterly chilly.
In the identical pan, with out cleansing it, add the chopped pancetta or lardo.
Prepare dinner over medium warmth till the pancetta or lardo is golden and the fats has rendered.
Then add the carrot, onion, celery, and parsley root peelings…
…in addition to a tablespoon of rosemary needles, 5 sage leaves, and a couple of bay leaves.
Sauté over medium warmth till the greens are golden…
…then deglaze with the reserved raisin-infused purple wine.
Scrape with a wood spatula to launch all the flavour from the underside of the pan, then flip off the warmth.
Add all the contents of the pan to a stockpot or stress cooker, utilizing a silicone spatula to get the whole lot.
This photograph of the empty pan is simply to bolster that no taste needs to be thrown away.
When the hare bones are accomplished roasting, break them into a number of items and add them to the pot.
Deglaze the roasting tray with sizzling water and scrape with a wood spatula to get all the taste, then add that liquid to the pot.
Add simply sufficient water to barely cowl the contents, then cowl and produce to a boil; simmer for 3 hours, or convey to stress and stress cook dinner for 90 minutes.
After that, pressure the inventory via a fantastic sieve and discard the solids.
As my sieve isn’t massive sufficient, I take advantage of a colander first to take away the massive items after which a fantastic sieve for the remaining.
Pour the filtered inventory into a large, low pan (the identical frying pan you used for sautéing the aromatics will do). Convey it to a boil, then scale back the warmth to a simmer.
Eradicating the scum that rises to the floor with a skimmer.
Simmer the jus till you’ve got about 250 ml (1 cup) of liquid left, then flip off the warmth.
When the hare meat is totally chilly, vacuum seal it in a single layer and refrigerate.
To make the parsley root puree, cube the peeled parsley root and put it in a saucepan. Add sufficient water to cowl the greens about midway, cowl, convey to a boil, and cook dinner till the parsley root is tender, about 10 minutes.
Switch the cooked parsley root and the liquid to a blender and mix till utterly easy. Chances are you’ll want so as to add a bit extra water to achieve the specified consistency.
A Vitamix will make the puree completely easy; nonetheless, in case your blender shouldn’t be sturdy sufficient, cross the puree via a meals mill or a fantastic sieve utilizing a spoon.
Return the puree to the pan and add 1 tablespoon of butter.
Stir till the butter has melted. Style and regulate the seasoning with salt and freshly floor pepper.
To arrange the chard, roughly chop 150 grams of chard leaves and slice 75 grams of chard stems right into a fantastic brunoise. The preliminary quantity of leaves have to be bigger as a result of they may shrink considerably as they wilt.
Warmth 2 tablespoons of additional virgin olive oil in a wok, casserole, or frying pan, and add a peeled garlic clove minimize into three thick slices.
Add the chard leaves as quickly because the garlic begins to sizzle.
Season with salt and stir-fry till the leaves have wilted…
…then flip off the warmth and take away the garlic. Style and regulate the seasoning with salt and freshly floor black pepper.
Place the chard stem brunoise in a bowl, cowl with chilly water, and refrigerate; it will hold the stems crunchy or make them even crispier.
The whole lot up up to now will be ready upfront.
Preheat the sous-vide water tub to 48°C (118°F) and place the vacuum-sealed meat within the tub 25–half-hour earlier than you need to serve. Be certain your plates are preheated as effectively. End the dish 5 to 10 minutes earlier than the meat is prepared within the sous-vide (about 20 minutes after you place it in). You will have to do rather a lot in a short while, so it might be a good suggestion to solicit some help. Gently reheat the jus, the parsley root puree, and the chard, stirring as you achieve this.
To complete the chard, drain the reserved stem brunoise, add it to the chard leaves, season frivolously with salt, and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Then add a lot of the raisins and pine nuts and stir-fry for one more minute. Reserve some raisins and pine nuts for garnish.
Be certain the parsley puree is piping sizzling. To plate, place a circle of parsley root puree within the heart of every plate and organize the chard round it (I used 10 cm / 4″ meals rings to assist with this).
To complete the jus, add 1/2 teaspoon of vincotto (or 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of purple wine vinegar if you happen to don’t have vincotto). Style and regulate the seasoning with salt and freshly floor black pepper.
Convey the jus to a boil, then instantly flip off the warmth and add 10 grams of minced 85% darkish chocolate.
Stir till the chocolate has melted. The jus needs to be thick sufficient to coat the meat quite than sliding off, however skinny sufficient to be pourable. The sauce needs to be as sizzling as potential, as it’s going to function a blanket to forestall the meat from cooling off too shortly. That is necessary, because the meat shall be solely 48°C (118°F) when it comes out of the sous-vide.
When the whole lot else is prepared, take the meat out of the sous-vide, minimize the bag open, and place the items of hare on prime of the parsley root puree as quickly as potential. Pour the new jus over the meat, ensuring to cowl it utterly. Garnish with the reserved raisins, pine nuts, and tiny items of candied orange. Serve instantly.
Wine pairing
As talked about within the introduction, this dish was excellent with the Masi Amarone Costasera 2015. Amarone is maybe the very best pairing for this recipe because of its distinctive structural profile, however this particular bottle takes the pairing a step additional. Amarone works so effectively as a result of the dolceforte sauce has a particular taste profile, with excessive acidity and sweetness from the wine discount, raisins, vincotto, and candied orange. An ordinary dry purple would typically really feel skinny or “bitter” in opposition to these flavors. Amarone works as a result of it’s a powerhouse: its excessive alcohol and extract present the “weight” wanted to match the gamey hare, whereas its slight residual sugar is important to steadiness the sweet-and-savory components of the sauce. Moreover, the dried-fruit character inherent to the appassimento course of used to supply Amarone mirrors the raisins within the garnish, pulling the whole plate collectively right into a single, cohesive expertise. Amongst Amarone, the Costasera is understood for its distinct notes of cocoa and low, which create a direct hyperlink to the darkish chocolate whisked into the jus. Alternate options for Amarone are a ripe-style Barossa Shiraz (bringing a daring, peppery spice that enhances the juniper and cloves within the inventory), Primitivo or Zinfandel (particularly these made utilizing the appassimento method, mimicking the structural steadiness of an Amarone), or an Aged Sagrantino di Montefalco (a powerhouse that develops notes of earth and cocoa because it matures, making it a tailored companion for the iron-like richness of the hare).
