Dandelion salad with rabbit and black pudding

Serves 4

Although gardeners wage war against them, we rarely eat dandelions. The French grow a larger, more tender, blanched variety especially for eating. Their pissenlit is less bitter, and the green and white leaves make an interestingly punchy salad with a sweet dressing and matched with earthy ingredients like rabbit and black pudding. Try to choose a sweet, softer black pudding like the French one, which sometimes contains apple purée. Previously, when I've given a recipe for braised rabbit, I've recommended saving the rabbit saddle to use in a salad. And now is your chance.

Although gardeners wage war against them, we rarely eat dandelions. The French grow a larger, more tender, blanched variety especially for eating. Their pissenlit is less bitter, and the green and white leaves make an interestingly punchy salad with a sweet dressing and matched with earthy ingredients like rabbit and black pudding. Try to choose a sweet, softer black pudding like the French one, which sometimes contains apple purée. Previously, when I've given a recipe for braised rabbit, I've recommended saving the rabbit saddle to use in a salad. And now is your chance.

4 wild rabbit fillets from the saddle
150g black pudding cut into 1cm slices
150-200g dandelion, trimmed
1tbsp olive oil

for the dressing

1tbsp cider vinegar
1tsp clear honey
1tsp grain mustard
1tsp Dijon mustard
2tbsp olive oil
2tbsp vegetable or corn oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

First make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together and seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, season the rabbit fillets and cook them for about 11/2-2minutes on each side, keeping them pink. Remove from the pan and leave to rest. Meanwhile cook the slices of black pudding for a couple of minutes on each side.

Cut the dandelion leaves in half if they are long and dress well with the dressing.

Slice the rabbit fillets into 3-4 pieces and arrange on a plate with the dandelion and black pudding.