Deep-fried rabbit leg, broad bean & pea purée with green sauce

SERVES 4 PREP 35 mins COOK 1 hr 30 mins MORE EFFORT

1 litre chicken stock

4 bay leaves

1 handful thyme

1 rosemary sprig

6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 4 farmed rabbit legs

100g plain flour

3 eggs, whisked

150g dried breadcrumbs vegetable oil, for deep frying 2 lemons, halved, to serve For the broad bean & pea purée

200g fresh or frozen broad beans, blanched and double podded if you want a very green purée 200g fresh or frozen peas, blanched 140ml extra virgin olive oil

½ lemon

50g Berkswell or manchego, finely grated For the green sauce

1 handful mint, leaves chopped

1 handful dill, chopped

1 handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

½ handful tarragon, leaves picked and chopped 2 tbsp capers, chopped

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Pour the stock, herbs and garlic into a high-sided roasting tin. Put the legs on a cooling rack set in the tin, season well, cover with baking parchment and foil and steam in the oven for 1 hr-1 hr 30 mins until cooked through. Strain the stock and keep for another day. The legs can be steamed the day before and kept in the fridge. 2 To make the purée, briefly whizz the beans and peas in a food processor – you want a rough texture. Add the oil, a squeeze of lemon and the cheese, and whizz again. To make the green sauce, mix all the ingredients together, and season.

3 Season the flour and tip it onto a plate. Put the egg on another plate and the crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip each rabbit leg in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, making sure each is well covered. 4 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Fill a pan no more than a third full with veg oil. Heat the oil to 180C, or until a piece of bread browns in 20 seconds. Fry the legs in two batches until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper. Return to the oven for 5 mins to heat through. Serve with a spoonful of the purée, some green sauce and a lemon half.

PER SERVING 710 kcals • fat 44g • saturates 7g • carbs 50g • sugars 2g • fibre 3g • protein 26g • salt 1.2g