White meats for summer menus: lightness and flavour
When the heat rises: light meats for hot days
June in Mallorca marks that time when we start craving lighter meals that are still satisfying. After over 30 years in farming and butchery, I’ve seen how consumer habits change with the arrival of the heat. Sales of white meats soar, and customers look for cuts that cook quickly and feel light on the palate.
White meats —such as chicken, rabbit and other poultry— are perfect for summer for many reasons. They have less intramuscular fat than red meats, making them easier to digest when the temperatures climb. They’re also incredibly versatile: they adapt to quick cooking methods that don’t overheat the kitchen and absorb herbs and marinades beautifully.
Rabbit, one of our most traditional products in Mallorca, is a true nutritional and gastronomic gem for the summer. Its lean yet flavourful meat benefits greatly from the wild aromatic herbs growing around the island. Fennel, abundant in our fields, pairs perfectly with rabbit, adding that refreshing aniseed touch.
For those looking for even lighter options, free-range chicken breasts are unbeatable. Our chickens, raised with space to move and a natural diet, develop firmer and more flavourful meat than intensively farmed ones. A tip I always share: briefly marinate the breasts with lemon juice, olive oil and herbs before cooking. It adds flavour, and the citrus acidity helps keep the meat juicy.
Today’s recipe, rabbit with fennel, is a Mallorcan classic reinvented for summer. The freshness of fennel balances the rabbit’s intensity, creating a perfect dish for a terrace dinner as the summer night falls.
Recipe: Rabbit with fennel
Ingredients
- 1 rabbit, cut into pieces
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 2 onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 200 ml dry white wine
- Fresh fennel sprigs
- Thyme
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Method
- Clean and portion the rabbit. Season with salt and pepper.
- Brown the pieces in olive oil in a large pan. Set aside.
- In the same oil, sauté julienned onions and sliced garlic.
- Add the fennel cut into wedges. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Return the rabbit to the pan and add thyme.
- Pour in the wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
- Partially cover with water and simmer for 35–40 minutes.
- Reserve some fresh fennel leaves for garnish.
- Adjust salt and pepper, and serve with the reserved fennel on top.
