Beetroot and hare (or pigeon) salad

Serves 4

(Jason Lowe)

This makes good use of the tender fillets from the saddle of the hare (you can keep the rest, which can be used for braising or slow cooking). If you can't get hold of hare, you could use pigeon or rabbit instead.

2 fillets from the saddle of a hare
A little vegetable or corn oil for frying
2 medium-sized yellow or candy beets, cooked and peeled
2 medium red beets, cooked and peeled
A couple of handfuls of tasty small salad leaves, washed and dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

2tbsp good-quality red wine vinegar, such as cabernet sauvignon
6-7tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
1tsp Dijon or Tewksbury mustard

Heat a heavy frying pan, season the hare fillets and cook on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, keeping them medium rare. Leave to rest on a plate for a couple of minutes.

Whisk all of the ingredients together for the dressing and season. Cut the beetroots into wedges and arrange on serving plates with the leaves. Cut the hare into thin slices and arrange in among the leaves, then season and spoon the dressing over.