Yvan Seth's Hole in the Internet

Serving the stew

Hare today, gone tomorrow. It is nearly 10 months since I last mentioned hare, for the very simple reason that it is nearly 10 months since I last enjoyed hare. Our wonderful February hare came from Hamblings, back in Ricky – Mr Hambling was the best butcher we've had the pleasure to know thus far. Alas, he packed it in and where his shop was there is now an abominable hut of pizza. We now live in a different town, on the other end of the County (Hertfordshire) with a different butcher. Allingham's is good – not earthy, butchery, Hambling's good – but a pretty damn good butcher all the same. Yes, expensive – but you have to expect to pay above the odds for quality. That said, why pay 20 quid a kilo for OK steak when you can pay 11 for 1.5kg of great hare? That was my position today. It was going to be a brace of pheasant (8.99 quid, after hanging and dressing a couple myself, more on that later, I see this as a pretty good deal) but sitting on the sideboard was a lone, jointed, hare for 10.99 – it was fated.

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Roast Saddle of Hare

Last weekend I covered the stock I made with the hare offcuts and forelegs, now I'll get on with a description of the prime meal our hare gave us: Roast Saddle of Hare. This is the second recipe (in this case maybe production is a more accurate term) in my Harey Weekend series. I took a rather straightforward path with this one, marinating the saddle for a couple of hours in herby olive oil, barding with streaky bacon, and roasting it along with some garlic, onions and new potatoes. I also prepared steamed yeasty, herby dumplings, making up a recipe on the spot for them, and crispy parsnip chips.

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Preamble, hare rama hare rama

This is my first harey recipe, and covers the making of a stock that'll be used in two other harey recipes. It's a pretty straightforward thing to do and a logical starting point. Unfortunately we're busy cleaning the apartment this weekend as estate agents will be in on Monday to do an assessment and take photos… thus I may not get any other recipes out until next weekend. (We've decided that it is time to move into something that isn't an apartment, and the owner has decided that it's time to sell.)

Continue reading Harey Stock.

Hares have been associated with gods, goddesses, witches, fertility, and all manner of other myth and legend. For me, from this night onwards, hares are associated first and foremost with the best animal flesh I have ever eaten. Seriously, I should just give up on the whole food thing now as I don't think I'll ever cook myself something this good again. I've had grouse, considered by some the best thing on two legs; I've had wagyu beef, considered by some the best thing on four legs… Hare is, I suppose, somewhere between the two and four legged and fittingly, in flavour it is much like grouse, yet in tenderness and absolute melt-in-the mouth divinity it is much like wagyu. Admittedly I probably haven't had the best grouse there is, and never having been in Japan I've certainly never had the best wagyu there is. Though, my first hare ever, bought from the local butcher, have I had the best hare there is?

I'll write up the full details of my roast hare experience in time, it'll probably take a week or two given how little "spare" time I tend to have. It was quite a production as well, so isn't going to be simple to get into words. In the meantime the following photo will have to suffice.

Roast Saddle of Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare