Rabbit burgers

Cheese-filled bacon and rabbit burgers with brioche buns

Ingredients

• 450g rabbit leg or shoulder, minced
• 150g unsmoked streaky bacon, minced
• 3 tsp finely chopped chives
• 60g grated mozzarella cheese
• 60g grated cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 4 brioche buns
• 60g baby gherkins
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Place rabbit, bacon and chives into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then mix together so that all the ingredients are well dispersed throughout the mix.
2. In another bowl, mix the mozzarella and cheddar cheese together, pressing well, and divide this cheese mix into four 30g portions.
3. Take each cheese portion and roll it into a tight ball, then push flat slightly so you have a thick disc shape, and keep to one side. Now divide the meat mix into four 150g balls.
4. Take one of the balls of meat and, with your thumb, make a small indent in the ball large enough to fit the cheese ball into. Push the cheese into the meat carefully, then work the meat around the cheese so that the cheese ball is held in the centre of the meatball.
5. To finish, dampen your hands with a very small amount of water and roll the meatball in your hands to give the meat a smooth surface with no seams. Once you have a perfect ball again, like the cheese, push flat slightly so you have a thick disc burger shape, mimicking the cheese inside. Repeat with the rest of the meat and cheese, then place all of the rabbit burgers in the fridge to chill for 10 mins.
6. Brush the burgers with the rapeseed oil and seal in a very hot nonstick pan or on a griddle. Cook until you have a good seal on the outside of the burger, then place in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes.
7. Once the rabbit burgers are cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand while you toast the brioche buns, either on the griddle or in a toaster. Serve with gherkins and tomato ketchup.