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Rabbit burgers

Name: Rabbit burgers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 8 medium tomatoes; Olive oil for drizzling and frying; Bunch fresh watercress; 6 tbsp good quality mayonnaise; 250g soft blue cheese (we used gorgonzola dolce); 8 soft burger buns, halved; For the burgers; 700-800g rabbit meat, minced (see tip); 300g fatty pork belly, minced (see tip); ½ small bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped; ½ small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 50g fresh white breadcrumbs; Good pinch chilli flakes (optional); 2 tsp fine sea salt

By: Gill Meller

Published: 19 Aug 18
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Try something new on your barbecue with these rabbit burgers served with watercress mayonnaise, blue cheese and slow-roasted tomatoes.

Gill says: “I can’t understand why we don’t eat more rabbit. It’s one of the best-tasting, most sustainable meats around. Perhaps we can’t help but think of rabbits in an emotional way – which isn’t a bad thing; we should think of all life in an emotional way. But we must also be realistic.

Wild rabbits live a natural existence. They’re abundant and as versatile as chicken – the only culinary difference is that rabbits taste better.”

Easy
August 2018

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8
Hands-on time 30 min, plus chilling, oven time 1 hour

Try something new on your barbecue with these rabbit burgers served with watercress mayonnaise, blue cheese and slow-roasted tomatoes.

Wild rabbits live a natural existence. They’re abundant and as versatile as chicken – the only culinary difference is that rabbits taste better.”

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 720kcals
Fat: 39.9g (14.5g saturated)
Protein: 43.4g
Carbohydrates: 45.1g (5g sugars)
Fibre: 3.1g
Salt: 3.2g

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Ingredients

8 medium tomatoes
Olive oil for drizzling and frying
Bunch fresh watercress
6 tbsp good quality mayonnaise
250g soft blue cheese (we used gorgonzola dolce)
8 soft burger buns, halved

For the burgers

700-800g rabbit meat, minced (see tip)
300g fatty pork belly, minced (see tip)
½ small bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
½ small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
Good pinch chilli flakes (optional)
2 tsp fine sea salt

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Method

Heat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. Put all the burger ingredients in a large bowl with plenty of black pepper and mix with your hands for 1-2 minutes. This will help them bind and give a good texture. Shape into 8 equal patties, no more than 2cm thick, then wrap in cling film and chill until ready to cook (see Make Ahead).
Meanwhile, halve the tomatoes and put them cut-side up on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for
1 hour (or longer for a more intense flavour).
Take half the watercress and, discarding any really thick stalks, chop finely with a knife, then mix with the mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Cook the burgers on a barbecue or in a large, lightly oiled, heavy-based frying pan for 4-5 minutes on each side. When they’re almost ready, crumble the blue cheese onto the burgers (while still on the heat) and
leave to melt for a minute or so.
To serve, put a handful of fresh watercress in each bun, hold in place with a cooked rabbit burger, add a spoonful of watercress mayo and finish with 2 slow-roast tomato halves.

Recipe from August 2018 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 720kcals
Fat: 39.9g (14.5g saturated)
Protein: 43.4g
Carbohydrates: 45.1g (5g sugars)
Fibre: 3.1g
Salt: 3.2g

delicious. tips

Your local butcher should sell wild rabbit. If he doesn’t, ask if he might find some. He’ll skin them and portion them for you (or for this recipe, ask him to mince it, along with the pork).
Make the burgers and bake the tomatoes 1-2 days in advance, then cover and chill (separately) until ready to cook. Warm the tomatoes before serving.
A soft, juicy beaujolais works here, especially a fleurie or morgon.