Rare saddle of hare with olive oil mash and spring onion

1.The day before cooking, trim the silverskin from the hare saddles then season with salt, half the rosemary and a sprig of thyme. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2.Preheat the oven to 220°C.

3.Warm a heavy-based, ovenproof pan large enough to hold both saddles over a medium heat. Add some butter or cooking fat and sear the saddles, loin side down, for about 1 minute to caramelise the meat.

4.Add the garlic, remaining rosemary and thyme, and another knob of butter. Turn the meat in the pan and use a spoon to baste the meat with the butter and herbs for a further 1 minute.

5.Transfer the pan to the oven for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven, loosely cover with tinfoil and rest in a warm spot for 5 minutes. Reserve the pan juices.

6.Add the potatoes to a pot of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to steam for a few minutes. Mash them while they’re still hot, then pass the mash through a fine sieve or ricer.

7.Add mash to a pan over a low heat and gradually beat in the extra virgin olive oil with a rubber spatula. Stop when the mash is light and fruity. Season with salt and add a little cold unsalted butter to smooth out the texture if necessary.

8.Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and prepare a bowl of iced water.

9.Take 5 spring onions, cut off the green tops and reserve them. Slice the 5 white stems into small rounds and add them and a little olive oil to a pan on a low heat. Cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Blanch the green tops in the boiling water for 20 seconds, then refresh in iced water and drain.

10.Use a stick blender to blend the white stems with the green tops, adding a little cooking water and olive oil to achieve a purée consistency. Check seasoning and add salt if necessary.

11.Separate the remaining spring onions into tops and stems and coat them all in a splash of olive oil and salt. In a hot grill pan, char the spring onions for about 2 minutes, turning frequently.

12.To remove the loins from the saddle, run your knife along the backbone of each saddle and cut down to the ribs. Follow the ribs with your knife to remove the loin on each side. Turn the saddle over and remove the fillets (two small muscles mirroring the loins on the underside) in the same manner. Slice the meat against the grain, on a bias, into 3cm segments.

13.Spoon the warm, reserved pan juices over the meat and serve with olive oil mash, spring onion purée and charred spring onions. Add a few fresh spring leaves to finish.