Turkey trot and bunny hug

LAST Saturday, 26 May was the feast of St Philip Neri, founder of the Congregation of the Oratory, a great and splendid man and a wonderful educator of youth. Perhaps the education authorities should take him up as their patron saint. Anyhow, the London Oratory celebrated with the Mass in G (Coronation) by Mozart, glo- rious Mass that it is, with full choir, organ and magnificent orchestra. It was hair- raising. Oh Bernard Levin (ref: your article in Monday's Times) you should have been there. I wish you all had for that matter. A great sound in a great church, nothing to beat it. However, I'd better get back to food.

All this nice weather screams for deli- cious cold food that has been prepared ahead in the cool of the morning. Using tur- key rather than the traditional veal, and thus upsetting no one, makes a very satisfactory substitute for Vitello. Tonnato which is one of the loveliest and most versatile of cold dishes, good for first second courses and excellent in large quantities for parties or buffets. I used one of those curious looking amputated turkey breasts from Sainbury's which provides plenty of meat for six to eight people with the tuna sauce.

Turkey Tonnato 1 whole turkey breast on the bone 1 carrot

1 stick of celery

1 onion

bayleaf parsley 1/2 pint of mayonnaise For the sauce

1 tin (7 oz) of tuna in olive oil, Italian

preferably

5 anchovy fillets Vz pint of olive oil

3 tablespoons of lemon juice 3 tablespoons of capers salt

Put the turkey breast, carrot, celery, onion, bayleaf and about six sprigs of parsley into a saucepan just large enough to contain them. Add enough water to cover the breast and about a dessert spoon of salt. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to barely simmering and poach for about quarter of an hour per pound, or until the flesh is tender when pierced and produces no trace of pink in its juices. Remove from the heat and let it cool in the liquid: this will keep it nice and moist. Prepare the mayonnaise. Please make your own: it is no trouble as long as the ingredients are all at room temperature. Anything chilled from the refrigerator will kill it dead. Use two egg yolks, half a pint of good olive oil and about two table- spoons of lemon juice. You can use an electric beater if you must but it is better by hand, and I find a soothing and joyful task.

For the sauce, put the tuna, anchovies, olive oil, lemon juice and capers into a blender and whizz into a puree, fold it carefully into the mayonnaise. Check the seasoning. Carve the cooled turkey breast into nice slices. Smear the bottom of your chosen dish or plate with some of the tuna mayonnaise. Arrange the turkey slices in a 'single layer then spread liberally with the sauce, continue thus until you have used up all the slices, leaving enough sauce to cover the last layer generously. Cover the whole thing with cling-film and refrigerate for 24 hours to let the flavours sink in. When ready to serve, decorate with olives, capers and radishes. A good potato salad and maybe some sliced tomatoes would be a suitable accompaniment.

I also cooked some rabbit over the Bank Holiday which you might like to try. It seemed to be good hot or cold.

Rabbit with onions and carrots

2 packets of tame rabbit (21/2-31/2 lbs) 2 large onions 6 medium carrots 1 hot pepper — chopped fine 4 oz butter or poultry fat 4 plump cloves of garlic 3 bay leaves sprig of thyme salt and pepper

Slice the onions and the carrots very finely by processor, knife or mandoline. Melt the fat in a casserole large enough for all the ingredients. Fry the chopped pepper then add the onions, sweat gently until transparent, remove with a slotted imple- ment. Put the rabbit pieces, thyme, bay leaves and peeled garlic cloves into the casserole, season with freshly ground pepper and salt, cover and cook gently with the carrots for 1/2 hour. Return the onions, mix everything around, cover again and continue cooking until the rabbit is tender but firm. If you like you can add a dash of madeira or some such thing.

Jennifer Paterson