Elmer Fudds’ Revenge

I always go for the bad guy in movies. They’re the ones we love to hate. But if we hate them so much, why are they so popular and stay with us long after the movie has finished?

There is something about those dastardly, moustache-curling menaces to society that intrigues me. Probably because nine times out of ten the villains are infinitely more interesting and complex than the hero counterpart. Sure their motivations are a bit twisted, wanting world domination and such, but hey, they keep us glued to the screen.

You cant honestly tell me that in Star Wars Saga when you first met the Ewoks or the unbelievably annoying Jar Jar Binks didn’t you want Darth Vader to come along and end your pain with a swift swing of his lightsaber.

Just try and imagine a world without them.

You cant, because without them, there would be no heroes. And I think secretly we need to see what would happen if they do get to carry out their evil deeds….

In Silence of the Lambs, we want to see what would happen if Hannibal escaped.

In Jaws, we want Bruce the Shark to keep on chomping through crowds of swimmers.

And if we didn’t, well they wouldn’t have made sequels where all that stuff happens.

In many cases it is the villains that are provoked in the first place. For example, In Lord of the Rings, all Gollum wanted was his ring back. It had been stolen, that’s right… STOLEN from the cave where he lived by a fat, greedy little hobbit.

Now sure, Gollum was a little insane, maybe he had done wrong in the past with the whole murdering his best friend incident but he had paid the price by transforming into a twisted shell of his former self.

But that doesn’t mean that Bilbo Baggins had the right to steal his most precious possession. Personally I wish they had Judge Judy in that story. I am sure she would have made Bilbo give the ring back and probably awarded Gollum damages for pain and suffering.

And don’t get me started on Looney Toons cartoons. Oh the inequity of it all!

Am I alone in thinking that The Roadrunner and Bugs Bunny were actually the bad guys?

They continually antagonized and provoked characters like Elmer Fudd and Marvin the Martian into fighting with them in the first place. These poor guys, who were innocently going about their daily business of “hunting wabbits” or preparing the world for a Martian invasion, suddenly have a carrot chomping, dress-wearing rabbit in their faces for no good reason.

And after they have had a boulder dropped on their heads, been pushed off a thousand foot cliff or had a tonne of dynamite detonated in their faces they would be subjected to the added humiliation of a gloating bunny uttering a smart ass one liner as they lay writhing in pain on the ground… if you ask me that’s more than anyone should be asked to bare!

Just for once I would have loved to see the poor, long suffering Wile E Coyote put on a pair of rocket powered roller skates and catch the Roadrunner.

Or the vertically challenged Yosemite Sam finally get some peace and quiet by ridding us of Bugs Bunny… Remember rabbits are an introduced species and considered a pest in Australia, so technically he would be doing us all a favour.

So for all of the black-hearted villains who came so close but never got to live the dream, I twirl my moustache, give an evil laugh and dedicate this dish to you…

 

Elmer Fudds’ Revenge… Egg Yolk Ravioli Stuffed with Rabbit Ragu, a Rabbit and Porcini Mushroom Sauce, Carrot Puree and a Radish Salad.

Ingredients

For the Rabbit Ragu

1 Large Rabbit de-boned

3 Carrots diced finely

1 Stick Celery diced finely

1 Spanish Onion diced finely

3 Cloves of Garlic diced finely

1 Bay Leaf

1 Tin Diced Tomatoes

1 Litre Chicken Stock

4 Sprigs of Thyme

100 g Pancetta diced finely

1 Cup White Wine

Splash of Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

For the Egg Yolk Pasta Dough

2 Cups Double Zero Flour

12 Egg Yolks

1 tbsp Olive Oil

For the Rabbit and Porcini Mushroom Sauce

Rabbit Bones

2 Cups Chicken Stock

1 Cup White Wine

2 Sprigs Thyme

1 Clove of Garlic chopped roughly

Pinch of Nutmeg

Pinch of Dried Porcini Mushroom Powder

 

For the Carrot Puree 

3 Carrots Grated

50g Unsalted Butter

100ml Cream

 

For the Radish Salad

3 Radishes Sliced thinly

Frisée lettuce washed and broken into small pieces

Olive Oil

Method

For the Rabbit Ragu

  1. De-bone the Rabbit and reserve the bones. Prep the vegetables and Pancetta as per the ingredients list
  2. Put a large pot onto the stove at a low heat and heat a large fry pan over a medium flame. Add a splash of olive oil to both and brown the rabbit in small batches in the fry pan. When finished transfer to the pot.
  3. Add the Carrots, Celery, Onions, Garlic and Pancetta and cook through then deglaze the pan with white wine. Cook until the alcohol has reduced by two thirds then add to the pot.
  4. Increase the heat under the pot and add the Tomatoes, Chicken stock, Bay leaf and Thyme. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and drop the temperature to low. Allow to simmer for one hour.
  5. After an hour remove the lid and continue to simmer and reduce for about 2 hours, stirring every half hour or so.
  6. Cook until the meat is braised and broken up and the liquid has reduced to form a Ragu.
  7. Let cool and remove the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and any bones that may have snuck into the pot. Reserve.

For the Rabbit and Porcini Mushroom Sauce

  1. Heat Oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Place Rabbit bones in Roasting Pan and cook for about 15 – 20 minutes until nicely browned
  3. Remove pan from oven and transfer to stovetop on low heat. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add the Garlic and Thyme.
  4. Cook until the alcohol has reduced by two thirds.
  5. Add Chicken Stock, Nutmeg and Dried Porcini Mushroom Powder and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
  6. Strain the contents of the pan into a bowl through a China Cap and then again through a fine mesh sieve to remove any particles in the sauce.
  7. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook till until sauce consistency. Taste and season. Reserve.

For the Carrot Puree

  1. Add the grated Carrots and butter to a small saucepan and heat until butter melts.
  2. Cover and drop temperature to low. Cook for about 8 minutes until carrots are soft, stirring every few minutes.
  3. Let cool and then add Carrots to a blender with half the cream. Puree and add the rest of the cream if is needed.
  4. Pass through fine mesh sieve. Reserve.

For the Radish Salad

  1. Slice the Radishes wafer thin either using a knife or a Mandoline.
  2. In a bowl toss the Radish with the Frisée lettuce and olive oil. Reserve.

For the Pasta Dough

  1. In a large bowl add two cups of flour and create a well. Add some salt. Then add olive oil and egg yolk and mix together in s circular motion, slowly incorporating the flour until you have a rough dough.
  2. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead the dough for 8 – 10 minutes. Wrap in cling film and store in refrigerator for 30 minutes
  3. Get out your pasta machine and set it to the largest setting. Divide your dough into three portions and run the first portion through the machine folding and quarter turning after each pass 17 times. Repeat for the other 2 portions of dough. Once through the largest run each [portion through, narrowing your machine one notch each time until you have passed through 6 times.
  4. Lay pasta sheets on floured flat surface and portion filling on the middle of the sheet approx 3cm apart.
  5. Fold sheet in half covering the mixture and gently outline the filling with your fingers. Press sheets together ensuring there are no air bubbles. Cut pasta using half of a circular pastry ring to make a half-moon. Repeat this process and then press the lip of the ravioli together with your fingers to ensure it is sealed. Flour and store on baking tray lined with floured baking paper.

To Finish

  1. In a pot of salted boiling water add the ravioli and cook until the float to the surface… no more than about 2-3 min max. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a colander.
  2. Reheat Carrot Puree and Rabbit and Porcini Mushroom Sauce.
  3. Heat a large fry pan with 50g butter and when melted add the ravioli tossing quickly to coat the pasta.
  4. Spoon some of the Puree onto the plate, add two Ravioli and drizzle over some of the sauce.
  5. Finish with some of the Radish salad and if you like some grated Parmesan cheese.