Braised hare & pearl barley

1: Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Season the hare legs with salt and add them to the pan. Colour on both sides, until golden brown. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas 3.

2: Transfer the hare legs to a flameproof casserole and pour on enough stock to just cover. Add the orange zest, lemon thyme and rosemary, bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat then put the lid on the casserole and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2–2½ hours until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone.

3: In the meantime, wash the soaked pearl barley under cold running water until the water runs clear. Put the pearl barley into a saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, lower the heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes until tender but still with a little bite.

4: Tip the cooked pearl barley into a sieve to drain and refresh under cold running water. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed. (You will need 4 tbsp of this for the puffed pearl barley garnish.)In the meantime, wash the soaked pearl barley under cold running water until the water runs clear. Put the pearl barley into a saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, lower the heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes until tender but still with a little bite. Tip the cooked pearl barley into a sieve to drain and refresh under cold running water. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed. (You will need 4 tbsp of this for the puffed pearl barley garnish.)

5: Once the hare is cooked, lift the legs out of the casserole, reserving the liquor, and flake the meat off the bone. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

6: Heat the honey in a saucepan over a medium heat to caramelise to a rich dark brown, then add the soy. Carefully add the reserved cooking liquor and reduce by one-third. Pass through a sieve into a bowl and keep in the fridge until needed.

Pickled quince

1: For the pickling liquor, put the wine vinegar, sugar and spices into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Set aside to cool and infuse, then pass through a sieve into a clean pan.

2: Peel the quince, cut into quarters and remove the core. Add to the pickling liquor and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for 30–35 minutes until tender.

3: Remove from the heat and chill the quince, in the liquor. Before serving, drain the pickled quince and cut into 2cm dice.

Puffed pearl barley

Pat the cooked pearl barley dry with kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 180°C. Add the pearl barley and deep-fry for 1 minute or so until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. Reserve for the garnish.

To assemble & serve

1: Preheat the oven to 205°C/Fan 185°C/Gas 6–7.

2: Put the braised pearl barley into a saucepan with 300ml of the reserved cooking liquor and the butter. Place over a medium heat and cook until the liquor thickens and emulsifies.

3: Heat a splash of oil in an ovenproof frying pan and sear the hare loins over a high heat for about 1 minute on each side until dark golden.

4: Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 3 minutes until medium-rare. Set aside in a warm place to rest for 5 minutes.

5: Meanwhile, place another ovenproof frying pan over a high heat. When hot, add the foie gras slices and sear for 40 seconds on each side or until golden brown.

6: Transfer the frying pan to the oven for 2–3 minutes to finish the cooking.

7: Add the flaked braised hare and drained quince to the warmed barley, along with the lemon thyme leaves and most of the grated orange zest (save a little for the garnish). Warm through and season with salt and pepper to taste.

8: Carve each hare loin into 9 slices and season with salt. Spoon the pearl barley mixture into warmed serving dishes and arrange the hare loin slices and foie gras on top. Sprinkle the chopped chives and reserved orange zest on top of the foie gras and finish with the puffed pearl barley. Serve at once.