Nick Atkins is a Michelin star trained chef who perfected his skills in the kitchens of the Academy of Culinary Arts, Chewton Glen Hotel, Pebble Beach restaurant and private homes of high-profile clients across the south.

He is the co-founder and executive chef at Rock Restaurants, which has premises in Westbourne and Wimborne.

Mr McGregor’s Garden

Serves 6

4 x rabbit legs

20g chopped tarragon & parsley

100g peas

100g picked broad beans

200g carrot puree

100g parsley puree

12 x baby carrots

50g sugar

20g dried olives

20g toasted pine nuts

Dijon mustard

Pea shoots

Cover the rabbit legs with cold water, a splash of white wine, half a sliced onion, two bay leaves, two sprigs of tarragon, 12 white peppercorns, half a head of garlic and salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and simmer slowly for two hours until meat falls off the bone.

Allow the meat to cool, reduce stock down to 250ml.

Flake the rabbit meat, mix with cooled stock and check seasoning. Roll with cling film to form cylinders with the diameter of a 2p pence and approximately six inches long. Allow to cool overnight in the fridge.

Remove the cling film from the rabbit cylinders, brush with Dijon mustard and roll in chopped herbs.

Re-roll in cling film and place in the fridge.

For the candied carrots; peel and blanch the carrots in salted boiling water. Heat the sugar with 50 ml water, bring to the boil and reduce to a syrup. Roll the cooked baby carrots in the sugar syrup.

Allow to cool.

For the olive ‘soil’ blend the dried olives and pine nuts in a food processor until it resembles soil.

To serve, season the broad beans and peas with a vinaigrette and salt and pepper.

Arrange the pea salad on to your serving board, dress with carrot puree, parsley oil and olive soil.

Slice the rabbit into three pieces and place on top of the salad.

Finish with pea shoots.