Wild Hare braised with bacon and mushrooms

Makes 4 portions

-MacLean Fraser, Executive Chef Artisan at Bolton Hotel 

Ingredients:

1 hare - jointed

4Tbs cooking oil

4cl garlic

½ onion

2 rasher bacon

8-12 button mushrooms

1/4C flour

3 bay leaves

1 sprig rosemary

1 bottle red wine

750ml chicken stock

Salt and Pepper

Method:

For the Hare:

Gut and skin the hare removing the head and feet. Joint the hare into the back legs and shoulders by cutting along each side of the back legs where they meet the back bone and then cut through the hip joint and remove each leg. For the shoulders cut behind the shoulder blade and remove the front legs. What you will have left will be the back straps and the bones; the back straps can be removed by cutting along each side of the backbone down the whole length of the hare and carefully cut away the back straps from the ribs and spine making sure to keep you knife close to the bone to avoid wasting any meat. Keep the back straps for another recipe and the bones for roasting off and making stock. 

For the Sauce:

Roughly crush the garlic with the back of your knife and slice the onion and bacon. Halve the mushrooms or quarter them if large. In a Dutch oven heat up the oil and brown off the onion, bacon and mushrooms. Toss the hare in the flour along with a few pinches of salt and pepper and then add to the pot and brown each side. Deglaze the pot by adding the bottle of wine and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any of the nice brown bits as these add to the flavour. Add the rosemary, bay leaves and stock. Simmer for 15-20mins to burn off the alcohol and then place the lid on the pot and finish cooking in a 150c oven for 2-2.5hrs until the hare is nice and tender. If the sauce needs thickening you can place the pot back on the stove top and reduce until the sauce has thickened a little or use a little cornflour if the sauce is already as rich as you would like it.. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

To Serve:

Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve with some buttery mashed potatoes or some boiled new potatoes tossed in butter and herbs.