Sicilian chocolate hare

Now, here is a rich dish – Sicilian chocolate hare with pasta. I am not 100 per cent sure where this recipe originates from, but an old Sicilian mate passed it on to me, claiming Sicilian heritage. Over the years I have distilled the original, more complex, recipe down to a simple technique that still works well.

Hare are meaty little creatures that yield a lot more than a bunny. Hare flesh is red meat, much like venison. For this meal I prefer to use young, three-quarter grown hares. A full-grown hare will produce a stronger flavoured meal, if that is to your liking.

Note that the cooking process evaporates the alcohol, leaving only the flavours behind, so there should be no concern there.

The finished dish is best served up on a bed of pasta. Store-bought pasta is perfectly fine but for a real treat, serve this on homemade, farmhouse style pasta. Making pasta is easy and fun, especially if you get the kids involved. Expect the kitchen and all involved to be well dusted with flour by the time the pasta is prepared.

Serves: 2-3 People
Duration: 45 minutes

 Ingredients

Method

1. Heat dash of olive oil in skillet.
2. Add:
   • Shallots, chopped
   • Carrots, slivered
   • Garlic, chopped
   • Brown sugar
   • Black pepper, ground
   • Gin (substitute real crushed juniper berries if you have them)
   • Rosemary and bay leaves.
3. Sauté until cooked.
4. Remove cooked vegetables to a dish.
5. At high heat, fry meat for 1.5-2 minutes.
6. Remove meat and add to the retained vegetables and herbs.

Then

1. Add red wine to pan.
2. Add chicken stock.
3. Bring to boil.
4. Reduce.
5. Thicken with grated dark chocolate.
6. Return hare and veggies to pan and mix.
7. Extract and discard rosemary stalks and bay leaves.
8. Add chopped parsley and mix in just prior to serving on a bed of pasta.