Spring Awakening
We’re in that odd transition time where it can feel like patio season but we know it’s too soon to put away our parkas. So to get our taste buds ready for warmer weather, we’ve come up with an in-between menu that combines the light, green flavours of the
Mint, beet and fennel salad with chili-citrus vinaigrette
Star Tested Beets and fennel are wintertime favourites when drizzled with olive oil and roasted to perfection in the oven.
You can find fennel year-round, but it’s at its best during colder months so consider this a farewell to fennel. The addition of fresh mint leaves serves as a teaser to all the tasty things about to sprout from the ground while beets remind you of what’s still growing beneath it.
For the chili-citrus vinaigrette
Juice of 1/2 large orange Zest of 1 large orange 2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 1 tsp (5 mL) white wine vinegar 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried chili flakes Salt and pepper, to taste Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.
Makes 1/2 cup dressing.
For the salad
6-8 small beets, peeled and thinly sliced 1 large fennel bulb, washed and thinly sliced 1/2 large orange, peel removed and cut into bite-sized segments 1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh mint leaves 1/2 cup (125 mL) chili- citrus vinaigrette Salt and pepper, to taste Chili flakes, to taste Toss beets, fennel, orange segments and mint in large mixing bowl. Pour in vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly. Add salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste. Transfer to bowl. Let marinate for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 4 servings. Try golden or candy cane beets: Check out the farmers’ markets or supermarket shelves for these varieties of beets instead of the usual ones. They add a striking burst of orangey-yellow and psychedelic swirls, in addition to not staining everything they touch. Grow some mint: If you want to start a herb garden on the kitchen windowsill, begin with mint. It grows so fast gardeners consider it a weed (in a garden, fence it off unless you want the plot overrun with mint). Add mint to salads or yogurt, dry the leaves to make tea or infuse booze with it; it’s very versatile.
Braised rabbit with bow tie pasta, peas and creamy walnut sauce
Star Tested It might sound morbid to cook rabbit during the month of Easter, but once you’ve had sweet and tender rabbit meat you’ll understand why Elmer Fudd spent all those years hunting that single creature. Here, the mascot of springtime is slowcooked, tossed in a light but creamy walnut sauce and dressed with vibrant green peas. Have the butcher take the rabbit apart for you, or butcher it yourself (it’s easier than you think). If you are adverse to cooking wascally wabbit, substitute four bone-in whole chicken legs with the skin removed. 2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 1 3 lb. (1.3 kg) whole rabbit, head and ribs removed, legs and saddle separated 2 cups (500 mL) no-salt-added
chicken broth 1 cup (250 mL) evaporated milk 1cup (250 mL) crushed walnuts, plus more for garnish 3 minced garlic cloves 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) dried bow tie
pasta 1 cup (250 mL) frozen green peas Salt and pepper, to taste Chopped mint leaves, for garnish
In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Sear rabbit until golden brown on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Turn heat down to low. Add chicken broth. Cover and let cook on gentle simmer for 1 hour, or until meat is cooked and fork tender.
Remove rabbit from pan. Shred meat using two forks. Discard bones. Set meat aside.
Transfer remaining broth to blender. Add milk, walnuts and garlic. Blend until everything has emulsified. Set aside.
Bring large pot of salted water to roaring boil over medium-high heat. Cook pasta according to box instructions or until al dente. Remove pasta to bowl with slotted spoon.
Bring water back to a roaring boil in same pot. Add frozen peas and cook for 1minute, or until peas are defrosted. Drain and rinse peas under cold water.
In a large skillet over medium heat, toss cooked pasta, peas, walnut sauce and rabbit meat together. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with more crushed walnuts and mint, if using. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. How to butcher a rabbit: Rabbit is quite simple to take apart and a good animal to start butchery with. Save the head, neck and rib cage for stock, the belly for frying (rabbit bacon!) and use the rest for braising.
To begin, sever the neck from the body with a cleaver. Slice off the front legs, keeping the knife to the ribs. The legs should easily come off as there is no joint attached to the body.
Remove the hind legs by starting near the tail of the rabbit, keeping the knife close to the body and moving up till you reach the joint. Snap off the joint or sever it with the cleaver.
Cut between rib cage and saddle. Sever spine to remove rib cage. Slice off any loose flesh from saddle. Separate saddle into two pieces by cutting backbone in half.
You will be left with two front legs, two hind legs and two pieces of saddle. Best ways to cook rabbit: Rabbit is quite lean so it’s easy to overcook and dry out the meat. That’s why rabbit is often braised or used in stews to maintain its tenderness. Alternatively, you can also deep-fry rabbit legs like chicken.
Frozen or fresh peas? Nutritionally speaking, there is very little difference between fresh and frozen vegetables. Vegetables are frozen at their height of flavour and nutritional density, so cooking with frozen peas is just as good as using fresh.
Chocolate-covered meringue
3 Star Tested
Hard meringue is typically topped with berries to make the Russian dessert pavlova, but we’re still a few months away from prime strawberry season in Ontario. Instead, we’re going to dip the meringues in a basic truffle ganache (chocolate and heavy cream is all you need) to create what we lovingly call rabbit poop. We’re following a French meringue recipe from the Kitchn, another online resource all home cooks should bookmark.
For the meringue
3 large egg whites 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cream of tartar 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract 3/4 cup (180 mL) sifted granulated
sugar Preheat oven to 215 F (100 C)
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium speed. Add cream of tartar and vanilla. As egg whites begin to foam and turn translucent, add sugar in a bit at a time.
Turn speed up to medium-high. Continue mixing as egg whites start to develop an opaque and glossy white sheen and stiffen. When meringue forms “stiff peaks”—the egg whites hold its shape and feels sticky but silky—transfer whites into a piping bag with a large tip.
Pipe out meringue into quartersized drops on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Alternatively, spoon little dollops of meringue on to lined baking sheet if not using a piping bag.
Bake for 60 to 90 minutes, or until
exterior is crisp and not glossy. Meringue should feel airy and easily peel off parchment. Let cool completely.
Makes about 3 dozen quarter-sized meringues.
Buy pre-separated egg whites: If you don’t want to waste yolks, consider buying a small carton of egg whites at the supermarket. Two tablespoons of the stuff equals to one egg white, and you can save the leftovers for making egg white omelettes rather than keeping a bowl of yolks in the fridge wondering what to use them for.
Whisking meringues by hand: If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a wire whisk, a very clean and deep bowl and a lot of elbow grease. The key to getting the “stiff peak” effect is to incorporate lots of air into it so a whisk will get the job done a lot better than a fork. Make sure the mixing bowl is free of any grease or bits of food (many recipes recommend a metal or glass bowl because they’re easier to clean).
For the ganache
1/2 cup (125 mL) 35-per-cent whipping cream
1 cup (250 mL) dark chocolate chips In a small saucepan over mediumlow heat, heat cream till lukewarm but not simmering or boiling. Remove from heat. Slowly add chocolate and continuously stir until chocolate and cream become a thick and even consistency.
Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before dipping meringue into ganache. Let meringues cool completely at room temperature. Serve immediately.
Makes about 3 dozen chocolatedipped meringues. Make truffles with leftover ganache: Take a melon baller and a small spoon to shape the ganache into little balls of chocolate truffles. Roll them in toasted coconut, crushed nuts or sprinkles for DIY chocolates. Recipes by Karon Liu. Email karonliu@thestar.ca.