Individual Savoury Rabbit Puddings - from Leftover Roast

Sommelier to boot's Note:

I needed a hearty way of using the previous nights leftover roast rabbit and veggies for my partner. This recipe is based on the flavours and seasonings already coming from the previously roasted meat, the seasonings I used to bake the rabbit initially were seeded mustard, garlic, fresh thyme leaves and salt & pepper. I had just purchased a silicone muffin tray and decided to bake along the lines of an English savoury pudding. These turned out so well, and were very popular with my carnivore partner & friends.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 8.0 puddings

• 1 day old French roll , sliced into 1 . 5 inch thick rounds
• 3 eggs , free range
• ½ cup milk , full cream
• 1 ½ cups rabbit , roasted meat, roughly chopped
• 2⁄3; cup vegetable , leftover roughly chopped I used onion & potato
• ½ cup double cream
• 1 birds eye chile , thinly sliced
• 2 sheets puff pastry

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 210°C.
2. If you are using a traditional metal muffin tray grease it then preheat for 10 minutes prior to baking.
3. Prepare the french stick by cutting into 8 rounds, then in a separate bowl crack eggs, whisk them together and then whisk the milk inches.
4. Soak the bread rounds in the egg mixture until completely drenched, about 20 minutes, like french toast.
5. Combine rabbit and veggies in a bowl, slowly add cream to coat and make a dry sauce.
6. Add the diced chile.
7. When the bread rounds in the egg mixture are ready,.
8. Cut the puff pastry into 9cm diameter rounds, or wide enough to cover the bottom and sides of each muffin hole to just a little below the rim.
9. Fill with the rabbit mixture to the puff pastry line.
10. Place the bread in the egg mixture on top of each pudding and push them firmly down into the rabbit mixture.
11. Bake for 20 minutes or until top of bread is dark gold and crispy.
12. The puddings are moist but don't have any sauce in the centre so I served them with a mushroom sauce which was absorbed beautifully by the rabbit puddings. Serve as a main with sauce and veggies, or appetizer just with the sauce. This looks different, and your guests will be excited to try them, a great and inexpensive way to use up leftovers.
13. Serve with a creamy chardonnay.