Shopping list:

For the pearl barley

100g/3½oz butter

¾ tbsp olive oil

¾ white onion, finely chopped

150g/5¼oz pearl barley

660ml/1 pint 3¾fl oz chicken stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ tbsp mascarpone

For the rabbit

4 farmed rabbit loins, trimmed

750ml/1 pint 7fl oz chicken stock

2 tsp juniper berries

2 tsp black peppercorns

4 bay leaves

8 shallots, peeled and left whole

fleur de sel, to serve

For the beer sauce

200ml/11½fl oz beer

200ml/7¼fl oz chicken stock

1 tsp caster sugar

For the bacon-wrapped prunes

8 slices of dry cured streaky unsmoked bacon, cut in half lengthways

300g/10½oz pitted prunes (about 16 prunes)

pinch cayenne pepper

For the winter greens

knob butter

bunch winter greens

For the rabbit kidneys and livers

knob butter

1 tbsp olive oil

4 rabbit kidneys

2 rabbit livers



Ingredients:-

  • For the pearl barley

100g/3½oz butter

    ¾ tbsp olive oil

      ¾ white onion, finely chopped

        150g/5¼oz pearl barley

          660ml/1 pint 3¾fl oz chicken stock

            salt and freshly ground black pepper

              1½ tbsp mascarpone

              • For the rabbit

              4 farmed rabbit loins, trimmed

                750ml/1 pint 7fl oz chicken stock

                  2 tsp juniper berries

                    2 tsp black peppercorns

                      4 bay leaves

                        8 shallots, peeled and left whole

                          fleur de sel, to serve

                          • For the beer sauce

                          200ml/11½fl oz beer

                            200ml/7¼fl oz chicken stock

                              1 tsp caster sugar

                              • For the bacon-wrapped prunes

                              8 slices of dry cured streaky unsmoked bacon, cut in half lengthways

                                300g/10½oz pitted prunes (about 16 prunes)

                                  pinch cayenne pepper

                                  • For the winter greens

                                  knob butter

                                    bunch winter greens

                                    • For the rabbit kidneys and livers

                                    knob butter

                                      1 tbsp olive oil

                                        4 rabbit kidneys

                                          2 rabbit livers


                                            Method:-

                                            • For the pearl barley, heat the butter and oil in a pan.
                                            • Add the onion and cook until the onions have softened, but not coloured.
                                            • Add the pearl barley and stir with a wooden spoon until the grains are thoroughly coated in butter and oil.
                                            • Pour in half of the stock and cook until the stock is completely absorbed.
                                            • Add the remaining stock and cook until the barley is tender - this can take up to an hour and a half.
                                            • Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and stir in the mascarpone.
                                            • For the rabbit, add the rabbit to a pan of cold chicken stock and bring the stock to barely a simmer.
                                            • Add the juniper, peppercorns, bay and shallots and cook for about 30 minutes, until the rabbit is cooked through.
                                            • Preheat the oven to 170C/340F/Gas 3.
                                            • Pour the beer and stock into a separate pan and cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency.
                                            • Add the sugar after the sauce has reduced.
                                            • While the rabbit is cooking and the beer and stock is reducing, prepare the bacon-wrapped prunes.
                                            • Wrap the bacon slices around each of the prunes.
                                            • Place on a baking tray and bake in the oven until the bacon is crisp - this can take 10-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the bacon.
                                            • Heat a little butter in a frying pan and add the greens to the pan.
                                            • Cook until wilted and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Keep warm.
                                            • For the rabbit liver and kidneys, add the butter and oil to a frying pan.
                                            • When hot, add the liver and kidneys and cook for a minute on each side.
                                            • Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, set aside and keep warm.
                                            • Carefully remove the rabbit loins from the stock and add to the frying pan in which you have cooked the liver and kidneys.
                                            • Cook until coloured on both sides.
                                            • Season with fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
                                            • To serve, divide the greens between four plates and share out the pearl barley, rabbit loin and liver between the plates over the greens.
                                            • Cut the kidney in half and place on top.
                                            • On the other side of each plate, share out the bacon-wrapped prunes.
                                            • Spoon over the beer sauce and serve at once. Ingredients