|
rabbit pie
|
January 19, 2003
|
« Impromptu Dinner Party | Main | rabbit redux »
The Tasty Kind
I bought Rebecca rabbit for Christmas. No, not the furry kind -- the tasty kind.
Rabbit is one of those foods that makes you wonder why people eat chicken. Rabbit has so much more character. Why isn't it all over the place? Is it the cuteness factor? Obviously you don't get as much yeild from a rabbit as you do from a chicken, so there's the cost factor. Still, you can get rabbit thighs for $6/lb. over the 'net, and tenderloin for $9/lb., so it's definitely worth considering as an occasional alternative to the bland bird.
Of course, you can always buy a whole rabbit at your local butcher or gourmet market. We tried this once. Talk about your pain in the ass. Not much is more trying to my little brain than attempting to debone a small animal that hasn't been bred for yeild. The only more annoying cooking experience I can think of is the time I tried to skin and filet an eel with a spoon.
(Okay, it wasn't a spoon, but it was a knife so dull we let the neighbor's two year old play mumbly peg with it.)
So do yourself a favor and plonk down the $35 for six pounds' worth of rabbit thighs (or just $50 for 6 lbs of 2 oz tenderloins!). Make all of your chicken dishes. They'll taste twice as good, have 3/4 of the calories and half the fat. (Well, the meat will, anyway.) Or try some exotic new recipes. You'll have a great time. I am.
'Tis the Season
I thought I'd kick off our little rabbit season with a dish that is fairly unhealthy and somewhat complicated, but had all the earmarks of sublime comfort food. Mr. Pot Pie -- Frozen Food Aisle Veterean, Uninformed Bachelor's Delight -- meet Mr. Bunny Rabbit.
The filling for this recipe is based loosely on one by Gloria Ciccarone-Nehls, Executive Chef at the The Big 4 in the Huntington Hotel on Nob Hill. (I've never been.) She appears to have a fondness for game; I've seen a lot of interesting recipes for alligator, ostrich, buffalo, and so forth with her name on them.
Rabbit Pot Pie With Biscuit Crust
Filling:
2 c. Fresh wild mushrooms Baby carrots Golden beets Other root vegetables, such as turnips 2 1/2 lb rabbit meat, or 1 very large rabbit
Dried mushrooms (porcini, chantrelle, etc.) 1 medium onion 1 c. Madiera 1/2 c. Cognac 3 c. cream
Bisquik Milk Eggs
Butter Flour Salt Pepper Fresh sage and thyme Other fresh herbs Minced garlic Chicken stock
Marinate the rabbit for a few hours in a mix of cognac, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and fesh herbs.
If you're using dried mushrooms, start soaking them just before you begin the next step.
Braise the rabbit in a mix of chicken stock and the marinating liquid. If you're using a whole rabbit, poor soul, you'll need about an hour and a fair amount of chicken stock. If you're using thighs or loin, check it after fifteen minutes or so -- actual braising time will depend on the size and thickness of the pieces.
(If you are using a whole rabbit, you should probably complete the rabbit-related sections of the recipe first, rather than interlacing them with the rest of the preparation as I've done below, because it takes longer to cook and it will take you forever to get the meat off of the bones.)
While all the braising is going on, put some water on to boil. Then, in another pot, saute some sage and any other fresh herbs along with the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onions are soft. Chop the dried mushrooms and add them, then add the Madiera, Cognac, one cup chicken stock, and cream. Reduce the sauce by half, then turn the heat down.
By this time, the water should be boiling. Quarter your root vegetables and parboil them along with the baby carrots, golden beets, and whatever else you've got. Take care not to overcook. Dice the vegetables.
When the rabbit is done, strain the braising liquid and put it in the freezer for later use. Chop the rabbit into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Make a roux from 6 tablespoons of butter and 6 tablespoons of flour. Cook it lightly and add it to the reduced sauce. Stir it through. The sauce should now be just about the thickness of the horrible chicken pot pies found in the frozen food section of the grocery store. (If it's too thick, add some of the braising liquid.)
Saute the shallots in butter. Add the fresh mushrooms briefly. Add the chopped vegetables and the rabbit and stir, then remove from the heat.
Prepare the biscuit mix now. (Just follow the directions on the box; I won't repeat them here.)
Fill each of the individual tins halfway full with the filling. Pour the sauce over each, then mix in with a fork. Pour the biscuit mix over the top and put into a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
I was so right about this recipe. It's gorgeous. We couldn't stop eating.
I still have 9 pounds of rabbit left in my freezer. This is going to be fun.
January 19, 2003 in main_dishes, old_site, recipes | Permalink
