Cauliflower croquettes with paprika drops, pan-fried rabbit cutlet with peas, lemon & rosemary
serves 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 large rabbit saddle
- 2 red bell peppers (fresh or frozen)
- 8 to 12 cauliflower florets (fresh or frozen)
- Some breadcrumbs, flour and 1 egg
- 60 g peas (fresh or frozen)
- ½ lemon (fresh)
- 1 sprig rosemary (fresh or frozen)
- 240 g soft, lightly seasoned mashed potatoes (fresh or convenience)
- Freshly ground pepper
- Salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small onion, 1 clove garlic
- Olive oil
- Knob of butter
Preparation
Remove the fillets from the rabbit saddle and clean them. Don’t forget the kidneys and the small under-fillets — they’re delicacies. Cut the ribs from the backbone and clean them as well; keep aside for later.
Briefly cook the cauliflower florets in salted water. Then coat them in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and pre-fry at 140°C for a few minutes until lightly golden. Before serving, fry again until crisp and golden brown. Blanch the peas in the same boiling water as the cauliflower, then cool them under running water. Season lightly and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Clean the bell peppers and save the seeds. Finely slice the peppers and sauté in a bit of olive oil with a splash of water. Season with pepper and salt. Cook until soft, then blend into a smooth sauce. Gently roast the pepper seeds in a non-stick pan without burning them, then let them cool on paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Peel, wash, and cut the potatoes into pieces. Boil in salted water with bay leaf, finely chopped onion, and a garlic clove. Once cooked, mash with a bit of the cooking water. Finally, stir in some finely chopped rosemary.
In a pan, lightly brown the rabbit fillets in butter and a drizzle of olive oil on both sides. Halfway through cooking, add the under-fillets, the cleaned bones, and the halved kidneys. Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook briefly, then remove the meat and bones from the pan.
To serve, place a portion of mashed potatoes in the center of each plate. Add small dots of paprika sauce, the warm peas, roasted seeds, half a kidney, and a piece of under-fillet. Arrange the juicy fillet pieces and crispy cauliflower croquettes on top of the mash. Insert one of the small bones into each large piece to resemble a cutlet.
Tip:
The cauliflower florets can also be breaded and fried without pre-cooking. The result will be slightly crispier — and just as delicious.
Used culinary techniques
