Sesame crusted breadstick

Seriously, is there anything better than homemade bread? the smell, the warmth, the dense texture that just seems to soak up the butter, when i was young, my mum would set the breadmaker to start at 4am every morning. It would knead and rise until 7 when she would get up and bake the loaf in the oven till golden and crisp. Although i didnt know it then, I was eating the breakfast of a queen everyday. A successful loaf that actually rises brings such satisfaction to the humble baker, its amazing how often a dud loaf is baked. And theres nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread.

This afternoon, with the gloomy windy and wet weather brooding outside, i decided to lock myself indoors and cook my own baguette type bread stick to fill with smoked salmon, avocado, tomato, mayo and rocket for lunch- which can i just say is a big effort for me considering in weather like this im more likely to crave and cook anything covered in cream or fried in fat. But, today i am strong and bread tastes good and itll curb my winter cravings... for now anyway.

Makes one bread stick. Double quantities for two.

Ingredients:
1/2tsp yeast or 1tsp fresh yeast
150ml lukewarm water
250g strong flour
1tsp salt
sesame seeds

If using fresh yeast: Put yeast in cup, squash with a few spoonfulls of water and leave till froths. Add to bowl of electric mixer with a dough hook and add flour, salt, and balance of water.

if using dry yeast: Place yeast, flour and salt in electric mixer bowl. Mix on low and gradually add water.

Beat well for 5mins approx till you have a nice smooth dough. (alternatively, for the strong and old fashioned, this will take 10-15mins by hand) Put in oiled bowl and allow to rise in a drought free place till doubled in size. Approx 3hours.
Gently ease risen dough onto workbench, fold in four, return to bowl and allow to double in size again, approx 1 1/2hours.
Remove from bowl, form into long breadstick, cover in sesame seeds and place on baking tray lightly sprayed with oil or dusted with polenta or semolina. PLace in preheated oven 250dgrees and bake for 25mins. Spray water into the oven and onto the dough when first putting in the oven and every 10mins after that. This forms steam and something magical and creates a crusty breadstick! Cool completely before cutting.

Rabbit ragu sauce with pasta

And the time has arrived, for one to venture outside the square. Im gonna try and cook rabbit. They say its tricky, they say its easy to overcook, and the fact that I practically never eat red meat could possibly only make it harder. But, i reckon it could be worth it.

So ive chosen a rabbit ragu type sauce to be served with fresh pasta. Its winter after all, and although the sun was sunbaking worthy all evening, it has now set and a fabulous winter chill has filled the air. I actually cant remember the last time I ate red meat (apart from that 3am hotdog from the local servo...if thats even meat), in fact I dont think ive ever eaten a ragu in my life. Could this make it even harder than how hard it might already be? nah i reckon its gonna be good.

It begins with the rabbit, I chose a wild organic one which is meant to have a more gamey but tougher texture compared to the farmed variety which are more delicate. I got my butcher to joint the poor little guy for me into legs and shoulders, i couldnt bare to rip him apart myself and seriously, thank god hes already been skinned alive by someone else, I cant even seem to shave my legs properly let alone the thought of de-hairing this creature.

It was actually pretty simple to cook, preparation was nothing and although its probably one of the most expensive meals ive ever cooked, with the homemade pasta costing just under $10 from my local Italian restaurant and the rabbit being an astronomical $24 (im not used to the price of meat since all i eat is chicken and also the thought of $25 for something which could have a potentially gross outcome and could have easily been a deposit on a giant lobster formed a few worry lines on the ol' forehead) But the meal was so rich and so like nothing i had ever had before! and the sauce was enough to last another meal. It was amazing and i urge you to try it, especially if you have access to hare which is said to be even better than rabbit but twice as hard to find. It was almost like a luscious gravy with the most tender meat with that gamey flavour. It really was amazing. Fresh pasta, fresh shavings of a good sharp parmesan and bobs your uncle in fact dont invite bob, he sounds greedy and fat and you want the biggest helping you can have of this to yourself!

Make sure you buy homemade pasta, it seriously is what will make or break the meal. Alternatively, a nice soft Polenta would go perfectly for a quarter of the price (i have included a recipe at the bottom).

Ingredients:
4 legs/ an entire Hare or Rabbit
2 Brown Onions
4 cloves Garlic
2tbsp bruised Junipers
4 sprigs Rosemary
1 1/2cups Red wine
1 1/2cups Veal stock

Seal The rabbit in olive oil gently. Add the chopped onion, garlic, junipers and Rosemary. Then add the wine and stock. Simmer 2hours until the meat is tender.
Take the legs out and separate the meat from the bone. Be careful to avoid any gristle and bone. Remove the rosemary sprigs. Puree the sauce with the vegetables and reduce to the desired consistency.
Slip meat back into the sauce and warm for 1-2mins. Serve with homemade pasta or soft Polenta and shavings of quality Parmesan, after all this is a quality meal and we don't want spew cheese.

Soft Polenta:
Bring 250ml milk, 250ml water and a bay leaf to the boil. Remove from heat and allow to infuse 20mins. Strain the bay leaf out. Boil again, pour in 1/2 a cup Polenta and stir constantly until thickens. You want the consistency of a thick porridge. When done add 1/2cup Mascarpone, 50g grated Parmesan and mix. you can also add melted butter and any cheese you like but the Mascarpone tends to freshen and lift the flavour slightly.