Top London gastropub puts squirrel on the menu
ETM Group site the Jugged Hare, Moorgate, which came 23rd in this year's Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs, has put the squirrel and bacon croquettes on its spring menu.
Stephen Englefield, head chef at the Jugged Hare, said the idea came about during a brainstorming session with his sous chef about how to utilise a whole squirrel and make it interesting for customers to try.
Sweeter and nuttier
"We source our squirrel from Yorkshire Game – they also mail-order them to the general public. It's similar to wild rabbit, darker in colour and a little bit sweeter and nuttier."
The croquettes are served alongside hazelnut mayonnaise and are priced at £7.
Englefield added: "The sweetness of the squirrel and earthiness of the sage in the croquette go well with the crunchy, roasted nut flavour and creamy mayo."
The Jugged Hare ranked 23rd in 2016's Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs awards.
'Mock Turtle' stew
The pub, known for its focus on serving fresh game and less well-known meats, also recently began offering customers a Mock Turtle stew – a dish based on green turtle stew, a mid-18th century delicacy.
The original dish contained a large snapping turtle, which was said to contain seven distinct types of meat. In its place, the stew at the Jugged Hare contains veal tongue, brains, cheek, jowl, hoof, meatballs and blood sausage.
Other dishes on pub's spring menu include Yorkshire wood pigeon with confit leg and offal, croquette, rainbow chard and parsley jus, Saddleback pork fillet with sprouting broccoli, crushed purple potato and apple jus and braised Devonshire kid with devilled faggot, mash, mustard greens and green sauce.
