At the September Market, Maurice Corish gave a demonstration of
how to cook rabbit; the rabbits used were prepared on site by Rick
Koehler. (Photos are at www.hamrakirag.blogspot.com)
Here are some rabbit recipes, including those demonstrated by Maurice:-
Rabbits in the Kitchen.
First, catch your rabbit! (Aunt Daisy, attr)
Some tips for the general cooking of rabbit.
Rabbit must be paunched immediately it is killed and eaten within 1 - 3 days.
1 When cutting up a rabbit, remove legs and the saddle. The bony rib
cage can be used for stock. A 1kg rabbit should serve 2 people, more if you
have a rich sauce or several side dishes.
2 Cook the legs and the saddle separately. Braise the meaty hind legs
in stock and aromatic seasonings and roast the saddle (loin) on its own
because the type of meat is different in both areas- like a chicken breast
and leg. Smaller, bonier forelegs can be cooked with the hind legs, or
reserved for soup.
3 Use rabbit legs as a substitute for chicken or paella or other dishes.
4 If you’re simply roasting rabbit, cook it to an internal temperature
of 150º, slightly lower than chicken. You want a bare hint of pink remaining
because rabbit is so lean it will readily dry out if overcooked.
5 Strong seasonings will overpower the meat, so stick with aromatic
herbs such as thyme, tarragon and sage. Serve rabbit en brochette with
grilled vegetables and grains such as bulgur (cracked wheat) and polenta or pasta.
6 Since rabbit is considered game by most people, try in in a ragout
with wild mushrooms.
7 Though white wine is often used to deglaze the pan rabbit is sauteed
in, you can also use grappa (the fiery Italian clear brandy) and balsamic vinegar.
8 Rabbit liver is unusually large and delicious. Sear it on both sides in
clarified butter, leaving it pink on the inside. Then add a few shallots to the pan
with some wine, port or brandy and cook a few minutes. Process with a touch
of cream, salt, pepper and a pinch of allspice or nutmeg for a quick paté.
9 What wine?? Light reds such as Beaujolais and Pinot, and full-bodied
whites such as chardonnay compliment a rabbit meal. So also does a
gewürztraminer or white Rhone.
Roasted and Braised Rabbit In Thyme Jus
1 rabbit - cut up Salt and pepper to taste
Flour 4 Tsp canola oil
1 cup of equal amounts of chopped carrots, celery and shallots
1 cup of white wine 1 cup of rabbit or chicken stock
1 bay leaf 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Cooked pasta
½ cup of chopped tomato and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish
Preheat oven to 200º
Season legs with salt and pepper, dust in flour and brown in half the oil in a
heavy skillet over moderate heat. Remove to a platter.
Add ½ the chopped vegetables to the skillet. Brown, and add ½ a cup of
wine, stock, bay leaf and thyme.
Add the cooked rabbit pieces, cover, and put in oven for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the forelegs after 15 minutes, cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, season the saddle with salt and pepper and brown in the
remaining oil in another skillet over high heat. Remove saddle, add remains
of the vegetables to the pan, top with the saddle, and put in the oven for
about 6 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes in the pan.
Remove saddle, deglaze pan with ½ cup of wine and combine with the juices
from the pan the legs were cooked in. Cook down to ½ cup of liquid and strain
Put the cooked pasta in the middle of a platter and surround with the rabbit
pieces. Drizzle with the cooking juices and garnish.
Rabbit Tagine
2 rabbits, jointed 50 grams butter
2 onions, peeled and finely sliced 8 - 10 strands saffron
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced or 4 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger, paprika and black pepper
3 cups chicken stock 20 dried apricots
10 - 12 dried dates
Brown rabbit in the butter in a hot pan, and set aside.
Add the onions and cook over a moderately high heat until the onions
are lightly brown. Add the garlic, saffron, cinnamon and ginger and cook
a further 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in stock, apricots, dates and simmer for 2 mins before transferring
to a casserole. Sit the rabbit pieces on top and cover.
Cook at 160º for 45 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook as the
rabbit will be dry.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve over couscous.
Slow Cooker Rabbit
1 or 2 rabbits Salt and pepper to taste
1 c sour cream 1 can creamy mushroom soup
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 med onion, chopped
paprika
Cut rabbit into serving size pieces and sprinkle with salt, pepper and
paprika. Place in a slow cooker.
Mix the cream, mushroom soup, chopped onion and Worcestershire
sauce together. Pour over rabbit.
Cook on a low setting for 7 - 8 hours or until fork tender.
Rabbit Stew
400g rabbit tenderloin cut into bite-sizes pieces
1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tsp olive oil 5 rashes bacon, chopped
400g mushroom, sliced 2 med potatoes, chopped
400g frozen peas 1 tsp salt
½ tsp each thyme, black pepper and dried parsley
1 cup of red wine
Heat olive oil in medium sized pot. Add onions and garlic, cook on
high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rabbit pieces and
cook 5 - 8 minutes, or until cooked through.
Add salt, pepper and herbs; pour into the wine and cook for 5
minutes or until wine is reduced. Add potatoes and peas and place
the lid on the pot. Cook 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Fricassée of Rabbit
Main Dish: 1 rabbit; 1 onion; 6 peppercorns; salt; bouquet garni.
Sauce: 1½ oz butter; ¼ lb button mushrooms; 1 oz flour; ½ pint
liquid from the rabbit; ¼ pint cream: lemon juice; 1 tsp chopped parsley.
Garnish: Croutons of fried bread and bacon rolls
Method: Soak the rabbit in salted water for 12 hours to whiten the
flesh. Cut into joints and blanch to remove any strong flavours. Place the
rabbit in a pan with warm water to barely cover, bring to boil, and skim
well: add the onion, seasoning, and herbs; cover and simmer for about
an hour or until the meat is tender.
Strain off ½ the rabbit liquour for the sauce and keep the rabbit warm.
Melt ½ oz of the butter, add the mushrooms (halved or quartered),
and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the rest of the butter and, when melted, stir in the flour. Cook for
a further 2 minutes, then blend in the stock and cream. Stir until boiling.
Simmer for a few minutes and adjust the seasoning, then add the lemon
juice and parsley.
Place the rabbit in a serving dish, and garnish.
More of these recipes will be places here soon.
