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blowin

Someone has given me a prime young hare and has asked me to try cooking it like his Mum used to . The instructions were rather vague but seemed to involve making a soup or light stew by boiling the hare in a stock with apple plus traditional veg ( eg carrots , parsnip -- but not spuds ) . The meat is then removed from the stock and is fried in butter .
It wasn't clear to me whether it is then put back into the stock or is served on the side .
Is this a traditional Irish recipe ? Can you add any detail ? Cheers .
( Just for the record , it was a road-kill ) Wink

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bref · Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 136 Location: South Dublin

The only cooking advice I have ever heard about a hare was from my father who grew up on a farm in Cavan. He told me that you had to boil a hare in milk as it was tough and apparently the milk softened it ....

blowin · Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks , Bref . I used water in the end because it was a young specimen which I guessed wouldn't be tough . It did require simmering for a long time , though .
The recipe is simplicity itself .
Put joints into a large saucepan and cover with plain water . ( Don't flour or brown it off first ) . Add an onion , a couple of carrots , pinch of mixed herbs and salt to taste . It won't need a stock cube . Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer until the meat comes off the bone quite easily ( about 3 hours ) .
Remove joints from stock and remove meat from bone .
The meat from the fore-legs was soft and juicy so I put this back into the stock -- which will make a meal tomorrow .
The hind legs and ? fillet ( the big muscle along the back ) were very firm and quite dry so I did try frying it in butter . Couldn't believe what a difference that made . It significantly improved both texture and flavour .
Overall it surprised me how much flavour came from so few ingredients , particularly since it had only been hung for 2 days and was not at all gamey .
But I also discovered that I don't particularly like hare any more so the rest of mine can stay on the hoof , thanks Laughing

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Some say it be bad luck to kill and eat a Hare. Enjoy your meal mate Wink

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