Taste Magazine
Login/Register
Menu
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Starters
    • Mains
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • View all
  • Ingredients
    • Asparagus
    • Avocado
    • Beetroot
    • Berries
    • Cheese
    • Chicken
    • Mielies
    • Potatoes
    • Spinach
    • View all
  • Dishes
    • Chakalaka
    • Braai
    • Fridge desserts
    • Mediterranean
    • Sandwiches
    • Plant-based
    • Potjies
    • View all
  • Occasions
    • Birthdays
    • Ramadan
    • Eid
    • Easter
    • Pesach
    • Diwali
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year’s Eve
  • Popular
    • South African
    • Air fryer
    • Braai
    • Five-ingredients or less
    • 30 minutes or less
    • Great Value
  • Win
    • Competitions
    • Competition Winners
  • Culture
    • Articles
    • How To
    • Columns
    • Glossary
  • WList™ great value hub
  • WCellar
  • Login
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter sign up
Editor’s picks
Abi's nori risotto
Italian recipes

Abi’s nori risotto

30 minutes
Ricotta flapjacks
Cheese recipes

Ricotta flapjacks

20 minutes
Crispy Szechuan pepper tofu
Stir-fry recipes

Crispy Szechuan pepper tofu

15 minutes
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • olive oil
Roasted peppers with white anchovies
Pepper recipes

Roasted peppers with white anchovies

30 minutes
Patatas bravas
Vegan recipes

Patatas bravas

10 minutes
Crumbed pork loin chops with kimchi
Asian recipes

Crumbed pork loin chops with kimchi

15 minutes
Roast cauliflower croquettes
Cauliflower recipes

Roast cauliflower croquettes

20 minutes
Whole baked salmon with tamarind and ginger

Whole baked salmon with tamarind and ginger

40 minutes
Samoosas
Ramadan and

Samoosas

15 minutes
White almond gazpacho with grapes and Serrano ham
Nut recipes

White almond gazpacho with grapes and Serrano ham

Lamb and veg kebabs with warm potato and watercress salad
Braai recipes

Lamb and veg kebabs with warm potato and watercress salad

20 minutes
Pan-fried prawns with Italian herb pesto and rosmarino
Italian recipes

Pan-fried prawns with Italian herb pesto and rosmarino

10 minutes
Fettucine with hot-smoked salmon, asparagus and dill

Fettucine with hot-smoked salmon, asparagus and dill

15 minutes
Falafel in spicy tomato sauce with salad-stuffed pitas
Mediterranean

Falafel in spicy tomato sauce with salad-stuffed pitas

25 minutes
Rabbit and port-poached pear salad with balsamic dressing
Cooking with

Rabbit and port-poached pear salad with balsamic dressing

50 minutes
Load more
  • Taste Magazine
  • shop online at woolworths. Shop Now
© 2026 Woolworths holdings limited. All rights strictly reserved.
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Media24
Please login or register to favourite a recipe.
Login/Register

Rabbit and port-poached pear salad with balsamic dressing

By Luke Dale-Roberts
6
Easy
20 minutes, plus curing time
50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 rabbit legs, deboned
  • 3 cups Port
  • 2 T sugar
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 3 pears
  • 3 T balsamic vinegar
  • 2 t lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 t Dijon mustard
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 150 g rocket, picked
  • 100 g walnuts
  • For the brine:

  • 1 litre water
  • 110 g coarse salt
  • 25 g sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 coriander seeds
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • For the court bouillon:

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 stick celery, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 t black peppercorns
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

Method

Submerge the rabbit legs in 3 cups brine and chill for 1½ hours, completely covered.

Rinse the legs under running water to get rid of any excess brine and dry very well using kitchen paper.

Place the ingredients for the court bouillon into a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Place the rabbit legs in the court bouillon and poach for 40 minutes. The meat should be cooked through. Allow to cool in the court bouillon. Remove the legs from the liquid, wrap in clingfilm and chill if required.

Place the Port, sugar, star anise and cinnamon into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil.

Peel and core the pears. Place the pears into the poaching liquor and simmer very gently until just soft. Cool the pears in the liquid and place in the fridge until needed.

Whisk the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper until incorporated. Set aside.

To assemble, slice the pears and rabbit to the desired thickness. Toss the rocket with the balsamic dressing and top with pears, rabbit and walnuts.

To make the brine, place all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then chill until needed.

READ MORE: Luke Dale-Roberts cooks with brine.