Recipe: Royal Hare

Name: Royal Hare
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 300 min
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 beautiful hare weighing about 3 kg (6.5 lb) (shot in the head); 400 g (14 oz) pork fillet, peeled and cut into small dice; 300 g (10.5 oz) fatback, cut into small dice; 200 g (7 oz) white bread, trimmed and cut into small dice; 20 g (0.7 oz) Mélanosporum truffle peelings; 2 garlic cloves, degemmed and finely chopped; Fine herbs; 30 g (1.1 oz) dried porcini mushrooms; 1 beautiful goose liver of about 600 g (21 oz); 1 beautiful black truffle (Mélanosporum) of about 50 g (1.75 oz); 4 free-range eggs; 200 ml (0.8 cup) Burgundy marc or Souillac plum eau-de-vie; Fine salt and ground pepper; 4 squares of dark chocolate; Goose fat; Aromatic vegetables:; 2 carrots, cut into small dice; 2 onions, cut into small dice; 4 grey shallots, cut into small dice; 1 bouquet garni; Guérande salt; White pepper mill; 3 liters (3.2 qt) of Cahors wine; Garnish:; 1 kg (2.2 lb) small Bordeaux mushroom heads, sautéed; 16 small white bread croutons cut into hearts and fried in butter; 16 apples (BF 15 variety), turned and boiled

By chef patrick Asfaux 4.9/5 (137 reviews) · 🍳 142 made it

Prep 60 min

Cook 240 min

Total 5h

Servings 10 serv.

An emblematic recipe created after World War II by chef Gaston Richard and his assistant Marc Soustelle, inspired by the traditions of Lucas Carton. A prestigious dish that celebrates French culinary mastery.

The ballotine requires three days total: plucking and boning the day before, farce and bones macerating for 24 hours, then 3.5 hours simmering gently. The secret lies in three layers: bound lean and fat farce, foie gras cut lengthwise, black truffle batons. Serve with sautéed cep caps and turned potatoes.

Ingredients for 10 servings

Adjust for

servings

1 beautiful hare weighing about 3 kg (6.5 lb) (shot in the head)
400 g (14 oz) pork fillet, peeled and cut into small dice
300 g (10.5 oz) fatback, cut into small dice
200 g (7 oz) white bread, trimmed and cut into small dice
20 g (0.7 oz) Mélanosporum truffle peelings
2 garlic cloves, degemmed and finely chopped
Fine herbs
30 g (1.1 oz) dried porcini mushrooms
1 beautiful goose liver of about 600 g (21 oz)
1 beautiful black truffle (Mélanosporum) of about 50 g (1.75 oz)
4 free-range eggs
200 ml (0.8 cup) Burgundy marc or Souillac plum eau-de-vie
Fine salt and ground pepper
4 squares of dark chocolate
Goose fat

Aromatic vegetables:

2 carrots, cut into small dice
2 onions, cut into small dice
4 grey shallots, cut into small dice
1 bouquet garni
Guérande salt
White pepper mill
3 liters (3.2 qt) of Cahors wine

Garnish:

1 kg (2.2 lb) small Bordeaux mushroom heads, sautéed
16 small white bread croutons cut into hearts and fried in butter
16 apples (BF 15 variety), turned and boiled

Step-by-step directions

1 The day before, pluck the hare carefully.

2 Open the chest in two, preserving the liver, heart and blood.

3 Debone the hare flat without making holes.

4 Crush the hare bones and place them in a bowl.

5 Add the aromatic vegetables, dried mushrooms, red wine, Guérande salt, white pepper mill and bouquet garni.

6 Cover and marinate for one day plus one night.

7 Prepare the stuffing: in a large bowl, thoroughly combine the diced pork fillet and fatback.

8 Add the heart and liver mixture passed through a grinder, then the bread dice moistened with Burgundy marc.

9 Stir in the truffle peelings, salt, pepper, fine herbs and garlic.

10 Bind with the 4 whole eggs.

11 Cover and refrigerate for one full day.

12 On cooking day, lay the deboned hare on a work surface and split the thighs.

13 Season with salt and pepper, then spread a layer of stuffing.

14 Place the devined goose liver cut lengthwise, then the truffle cut into thick batons.

15 Top with a second layer of stuffing.

16 Roll the hare like a ballottine and wrap it in oiled parchment paper.

17 Drain the bones and vegetables on one side, the wine on the other.

18 In a large pot, brown the ballottine in goose fat on all sides.

19 Add the bones and vegetables, cover and sweat gently for 30 minutes.

20 Pour in the marinating wine and continue cooking for about 3 hours 30 minutes at a very gentle simmer.

21 Test with a trussing needle: it should pierce through without resistance.

22 Carefully transfer the ballottine to a rack and prick it all over with a meat fork.

23 Reduce the sauce by one-third.

24 Pass the blood and goose liver veins through a grinder and bind them to the sauce.

25 Add to the sauce and keep warm without boiling.

26 Arrange the sliced ballottine on a serving platter, surrounded by sautéed mushrooms, fried croutons and turned potatoes.

27 Lightly coat with sauce and serve the remainder in a gravy boat.

Chef Patrick's Comment

Nous servions cette recette depuis les années 1965 dans notre restaurant étoilé parisien "A Sousceyrac" et tous les présidents français l'ont gouté Mr Pompidou souvent, Jacques Chirac et François Mitterrand quelquefois mais aussi de grands cuisiniers comme Paul Bocuse, Joel Robuchon pierre Troisgros etc maintenant je vous passe le relais.

Lors du Fantastique Repas de Chasse de l'Académie Culinaire de France réalisé par le chef Nicolas Sale dans la belle salle du Ritz a Paris au centre du repas ce merveilleux plat qui fut servi avec un vin d'exception Le Probus 2007 de chez Baldés une merveille de Cahors qui n'aurait pas détonné avec de grands crus bordelais et qui a étonné plus d'une centaine de convives prestigieux.

www.jbaldes.com.

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace goose liver with duck liver?

Yes, duck liver works. Use 450-500g to account for trimming losses. It will taste more robust, less sweet. Check the liver contains no bile (dark green), which would make everything bitter.

How do I tell if the ballotine is done without breaking it?

Use a trussing needle or toothpick. It should pass through the farce with light resistance, slightly elastic at the core. If it hits a bone, cook another 15 minutes. Always probe the same spot to track progress.

Can I prepare the farce and freeze it days ahead?

Yes, maximum three days cold, or frozen two weeks. Thaw in the fridge 12 hours before assembly. Never refreeze after cooking with foie gras: lipid oxidation degrades it. Roll the ballotine the morning of service.