Head chef at the Tower Hotel Darren Rogan reveals a more unusual culinary treat for this week's recipe...

Darren trained at the Wig and Mitre from the age of 15 and worked his way through the ranks before leaving to broaden his knowledge.

He worked at Epernay champagne and seafood restaurant in Lincoln before moving to the prestigious Hallamshire Golf Club in Sheffield.

Darren returned to Lincoln as sous chef at the Tower Hotel and was promoted to Head Chef in July last year. Darren strives to achieve perfection in his eclectic menu, he relishes being creative and pushing the boundaries.

"I like to find new combinations of flavours, taking classic dishes or elements of classic dishes and re-inventing them using local and seasonal produce where ever possible," he said.

His favourite ingredient is coriander, his favourite style of food is non-Western and chefs he admires include Tom Aikens, Gordon Ramsey and Michel Roux Snr.

This dish includes oven roasted rabbit, celeriac mash, ginger bread crisp, rabbit lollipop, pea and marjoram custard.

Ingredients

For the rabbit: 1 whole rabbit 1 pint rabbit or chicken stock 1 celery stick 2 shallots 1 carrot 2 garlic cloves Large glass of red wine Salt Pepper

For the pea custard

100g petit pois, half pint double cream, 10g sugar, 5 free range egg yolks, pinch salt, pinch white pepper

For the celeriac mash

Half celeriac, peeled and diced, 2 potatoes (Maris Piper or Red Roosters are good), splash double cream, knob of butter, pinch salt and pepper

Preparation of rabbit

Preheat oven to 200c/400f/gas 6. Remove the long centre section of meat from both sets of legs and put legs to one side. Separate the loins from the centre section by running a sharp knife between the meat and the spine. Sear in a hot pan and place on a baking tray and roast for a few more minutes until cooked through. Keep to one side until cooled slightly and then roll the loins in cling film making a sausage shape sealing in the juices. Place on rack and tray and leave to chill in the fridge to use later as garnish.

Method

In a hot pan sear off both sets of rabbit legs and the bone from middle section of rabbit until slightly browned. Place on a tray with the shallots, carrot, garlic and celery and roast for 10 minutes. Once roasted put contents into a large pan with the wine and chicken/rabbit stock, cover and simmer gently until meat is tender. Remove meat but keep stock to one side. Pick the meat off the bone. Place all leftover bones back into the pan and reduce the stock until you are left with 200ml. Pass through a fine sieve into a Clean pan. For the pea custard

Blanche the petit pois for two minutes in a pan of boiling water. Drain and transfer the peas to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Place the pea puree and cream into a pan and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until pale and fluffy, then pour the pea and cream mixture over the sugar and egg mixture. Whisk and return the mixture to the pan. Cook over a gentle heat until liquid coats back of a spoon. Leave to cool – before transferring to a suitable container and placing in the fridge. For the mash

Cube the potatoes and boil together with the celeriac until soft and mash with a little cream, butter and seasoning. To compile the dish – warm the meat up in the 200ml stock, season with freshly ground salt and pepper and divide into four glasses/bowls. Top with the gently warmed custard (low heat so it doesn't scramble) and top with the mash, (again warmed gently so it doesn't burn). Finish with garnish of your choice. For the garnish (optional) Four thin slices of ginger cake preferably home made, dried under a low grill until crisp. Four pea shoots (available from all good vegetable and farm shops). Two rabbit loins prepared earlier and refrigerated. Dust in icing sugar and grill until caramelised. Place cocktail stick into it for lollipop effect or slice and add into trifle as an extra layer.

Are you a professional chef? Would you like to share your expertise? Please send in your details, photograph and recipe to column@lincolnshireecho.co.uk