Gollum’s Rabbit Tartine | Lord of the Rings Inspired Recipes
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What’s up, My Precious
Today we are joining Frodo and Sam as they follow the creature Gollum towards Mordor.
Gollum is the rather unsavory spinoff personality of Smeagol; the end result of the Ring of Power long corrupting his soul over hundreds of years. Once a Hobbit-like halfling, Gollum follows the Fellowship and eventually joins up with Frodo and Sam to “help” destroy the Ring.
One such way Gollum tried to help was providing food, something other than lembas bread (which he was unable to eat), even though his idea of a meal was pretty different than what the Hobbits considered edible.
While Sam was intent upon making the rabbits into stew (recipe coming soon!), I’d like to imagine that if Smeagol had never become Gollum, he might have actually embraced the Hobbit life and learned how to properly cook – instead of pursuing Bilbo relentlessly for the Ring.
*Gollum, Gollum*
Finding rabbit is no easy task (unless you’re actually Gollum, that is).
It’s not a widely mass-produced game meat, though I have seen it from time to time in more exotic groceries. However, my quest was foiled this time and I wasn’t able to locally procure any rabbit that wasn’t whole or frozen.
So I decided to use some modern online magic and found this boneless rabbit tenderloin (not affiliated) after asking around in some of my foodie groups for tips.
Making Rabbit Tartine
Here’s what you need to make a rabbit tartine – Gollum-style.
- rabbit loin – these should be joined by the connective tissue/skin for easy rolling
- whole grain mustard – this will be the filling for the roulade, adding a bit of texture and lots of flavor!
- baguette – use a fresh sliced baguette for the best croustini
- pears – for pops of sweetness alongside tangy mustard
- brie – to pull everything together with savory notes
From this rabbit tenderloin I intended to make a roulade of sorts – then assemble the thinly sliced roulade onto croustini with brie and pears.
Rabbit Roulade
For this recipe, we are going to be making a very simple roulade with rabbit tenderloin and whole grain mustard. Because of how small rabbits are, it is best to get a tenderloin called the “saddle” – which is a cut from rabbit with both tenderloins attached by muscle and skin tissue from the back and sides of the rabbit.
Open up the saddle and spread the mustard from tip to tip then tightly roll the saddle back up to form a pinwheel. I used butcher twine to secure the saddle into a whole tenderloin shape before transferring the roulade to a vacuum baggie.
Sous Viding Rabbit
Rabbit is easy to overcook and dries out quickly, which is why I recommend doing a sous vide cooking method for best results.
Vacuum seal the prepared roulade in a vacuum baggie then sous vide with an immersion circulator for 90 minutes at 160°F. When the rabbit is finished, let it cool completely overnight. The next day, it will be covered with a jelly-like fat – just wipe that off before carefully untying the butcher twine.
If cooked correctly, the rabbit should hold the spiral shape. Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the roulade into 6-8 evenly sized pieces. Then just assemble the rest of the tartine!
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Gollum’s Rabbit Tartine
Equipment
- vacuum baggies
- butcher twine
Ingredients
FOR RABBIT ROULADE:
- 8 oz boneless rabbit saddle
- 2-3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2-3 teaspoons fine salt
FOR TARTINE:
- 8 slices rabbit roulade
- 1 baguette sliced & toasted
- 1 green pear sliced thin
- 1 log brie sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 strips bacon cooked & crumbled
- 3 tablespoons chives chopped
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
Instructions
FOR SOUS VIDE RABBIT ROULADE:
- Prep the water bath by submerging the immersion circulator and preheating the pot to 160°F.
- Unroll the rabbit saddle. Season both sides with salt and Italian seasoning. Spread the whole grain mustard on the inside of the saddle from end to end.
- Tightly roll the saddle back up to form a spiral. Tuck the ends under. Use butcher twine to securely tie the roulade into a tenderloin shape.
- Place the roulade into a vacuum baggie. Seal the baggie.
- Submerge the roulade in the preheated water bath. Sous vide 90 minutes at 160°F.
- When cooked, remove the rabbit from the water bath. Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes then transfer to the fridge and chill for 8 hours or until the roulade is cooled all the way through.
MAKING CROUSTINI:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the toasts are lightly golden but slightly soft in the center. Cool completely prior to assembly.
ASSEMBLING THE TARTINE:
- Cook the bacon until crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Cool, then crumble. Set aside.
- Thinly slice the rabbit roulade into 6-8 bite size pieces. Slice the pear into very thin slices. Slice the brie into rounds (if using a log) or into thin slices (if using a wheel).
- Dab a tiny bit of mustard into the center of each croustini. Place a slice of pear on top followed by a slice of brie and the rabbit roulade.
- Place a few crumbles of bacon onto each roulade. Sprinkle on the chives for a pop of color. Serve room temperature and enjoy while taking the Hobbits to Isengard!
