soupnancy

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit

I’ve had rabbit on the mind. To my delight, François showed up last week with some fresh specimens from one of our neighbours (maybe because I had been whining that it had been a while since we’d eaten a good rabbit..). So I cooked it up a few different ways and put it on the menu. I also had to get my course outline and orders in for an upcoming class I am giving on the subject, so it helped me get into the mood.

rabbit, fiddleheads, tomato crinkleroot dressing

braising rabbit legs

rabbit two ways, wild ginger mustard sauce, root veg

Since my first taste, I have loved rabbit. I’ve cooked it many times, and when it was on one of my menus or coming from the station I was working, I paid special attention to it; it was always my fetish dish, and inevitably heartbreaking because no one ordered it. I recall one exquisite dish that involved a mousseline with truffle (stuffed loin) and another I loved in gelée with pink peppercorn that I laboured over night after night only to have it sit in my fridge. If only they knew what they were missing out on I would think and swear,  ‘!?%$%*!!!’ (multiple obscenities in both languages). So obviously, when I went out to dinner, I made a point doing the opposite - eager to happen upon the rabbit marvel that was surely hiding quietly in someone else’s kitchen MEP.

If it’ is on the menu when I’m out, you can be sure I’m having it. Which means I’ve had some fabulous rabbit dishes and some less than stellar renditions over the years. I remember being served a brilliant rabbit dish at Globe way back when Dave and Fred were there, and I also once really enjoyed a rustic hunter style dish at Da Emma; I’ve let the flops fade from my memory. The thing is, rabbit is tricky. Well, it’s just that it can easily be dry, especially when the commonly farmed breed (New Zealand) falls in careless hands.

There are meatier, more flavourful breeds like the Silver fox or the American Chinchilla making a comeback; for more info and in depth rabbit talk, see the article in the last Art of Eating (Number 76). Maybe it was that terrific piece that stimulated me (the way AofE articles do), but then there were the two bites of a tease I had on a Valentine's tasting menu at the Relais Champêtre in St-Alexis, or perhaps it’s the fact that I drive by three ‘rabbit for sale’ signs every day on my way to work, although now two are covered in snow.  One is on a make-shift cardboard hand-written sign on someone’s lawn surrounded by knick-knacks strewn about, which are presumably also for sale; another reads ' A Vandre'.  Now I hate to be judgemental, but if you don't know how to spell 'for sale' or if your home looks like a junkyard, I tend to be a bit scared you haven't read the rabbit manual.  I'm hardly jumping out of my car seat dying to buy your rabbit no matter how much I love rabbit.  In any case, I got the message, the signs were sent, it was clear that it was high time I got to cooking rabbit again.  I made sure our rabbit came from the third one, the taxidermist (see sign below).. 

a rabbit sign (on my way to work)

rabbit in the raw

proscuitto rabbit loin rolls, ready to go

It’s unfortunate that rabbit has fallen out of favour because it was once a traditional food, and easy to raise or hunt (after all, rabbits breed like rabbits and like to eat vegetable scraps). People today don’t think to cook rabbit, maybe because they aren’t readily available and only available whole, making it more work intensive than buying ready-to-go cuts of meat.

Then there’s the reality that many Quebecois (and North Americans in general) have a bunny complex, skittish about eating something cute. In a restaurant setting, you know there will always be a chick squeamish about digging into Thumper (and it doesn’t help that we have a set menu at JS..). It’s hard to convince someone who’s emotionally biased like that. Saying it’s just like chicken doesn’t work. Even though it’s true; many compare it to chicken, and indeed many recipes for rabbit and chicken are interchangeable. Of course, it’s not the same, but chances are if you like chicken, you will like properly cooked rabbit. In an old Larousse (I think) there is a note on how to distinguish it from cat, so I guess it resembles cat too (in the skinned raw state I guess)– I can’t comment there; as far as I know, I have never eaten cat. And if it tastes like rabbit, well then I’m game.

Rabbit has such a unique, delicate, delicious flavour, it's fabulous in terrines and confit, and it makes the best stock. That’s why I think it is best stewed gently, but really it’s almost necessary to separate the loin from the legs (as for most birds and beasts) for correct doneness. The legs are easy, a regular braise for a little over an hour with some wine, stock, aromats, maybe some mustard and cream, or some wild mushrooms, or with tomato, herbs and olives.. The saddle or loin is best cooked in a short time, but still gently. Because it is lean, barding (covering in fat like bacon) is a good idea for a pan-roast, but I’ve found the best results with a short but low temperature sous-vide poach for tenderness, followed by a quick sear for flavour, and a rest in the juices. This recipe is inspired from Chapeau Canada (David Hawkesworth at West) - a bit of work maybe, but well worth it.

I can't finish a rabbit speel without mentioning Thomas Keller's treatment in his famous French Laundry Cookbook.  Not only does his reverence for rabbit and enticing recipes inspire and make you a believer, but his rabbit story is a gem.  It was a defining moment in his career when he was faced with a live rabbit hours before service, and he had to kill and skin it himself, after which trauma, he knew he had to do it justice and treat it with care in making the finest dish he could, not wasting a scrap - hammering home the importance of respect for the ingredient.

Saddle of rabbit with fresh herbs and and wild ginger mustard

Yield: 2 servings

- adapted from David Hawkesworth (West, Vancouver)

40 g caul fat (optional)

1 rabbit saddle, deboned

2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, tarragon, chives..)

4 slices proscuitto

s.q. salt, pepper

15 ml olive oil

20 g butter

30 ml wild ginger mustard or wild mushroom mustard

200 ml chicken stock

Method:

1. Lay two pieces of caul fat on counter ( 8” squares) and place the proscuitto in the middle. The caul fat helps hold the package nicely together, but it’s not absolutely necessary. Lay the rabbit loin on top of the proscuitto, then sprinkle with herbs, season with salt and pepper, roll up, wrap in plastic wrap and tie ends with string.

2. Poach in 53C water for 30 minutes, refresh. Alternately, bring water to a boil, add rabbit rolls, turn off heat and let sit for 40 min. Cool immediately.

3. Slice rabbit into thick medallions, remove plastic. When ready to serve, pan sear medallions to nicely brown in olive oil, (standing up on the proscuitto edges to keep the rabbit meat ultra tender). Deglaze pan with chicken stock or a little white wine or water, let medallions sit down in jus and finish in medium-low oven to warm through (5 minutes).

4. Remove rabbit to rest and plate. Meanwhile, reduce pan juices down, whisk in butter to make pan jus, season to taste and serve over rabbit with a smear of mustard. The mustard can also go straight into the sauce if you want.

Another recipe I'll be doing with my students (with the legs this time): rabbit stew or civet revisited, a twist on a traditional recipe without the blood..

Civet of Rabbit

Yield: 4 servings

1 rabbit or hare, cut into serving pieces

1 c diced onion

½ c diced carrot

½ c diced celery

4 slices bacon, cut up

100g mushrooms, sliced

15 g dried porcini, rehydrated (keep soaking liquid, decanted)

30 ml red wine vinegar

250 ml red wine

3 ea parsley, thyme sprigs

20 g salted butter

20 g olive oil

700 mL chicken or duck stock

20 g unsweetened chocolate, chopped

s.q. flour for dredging

s.q. salt, pepper

Method:

1. Cook bacon to render the fat, add the mirepoix and cook, stirring over medium low heat. When soft, remove, leaving fat in pan.

2. Season and dredge rabbit pieces in flour, sauté and brown evenly.

3. Deglaze with vinegar and wine. Return vegetable mixture to pan.

4. Sauté mushrooms in butter and oil on the side and add to pan, along with diced reconstituted dried mushrooms and soaking liquid.

5. Add stock and bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer, and lower the heat to a low simmer. Cook until rabbit is tender (pulling off bone) and sauce is thick, about 1 hour.

6. Near the end of cooking, stir in chocolate. Taste and adjust seasoning.

7. Serve with rice lightly spiked with cinnamon, and/or roasted root vegetables or sweet potatoes.

Some other recipes, classic and not so..

First, one note: I find the cooking times often on the short side for the legs, probably because they don't want to overcook the saddle when the rabbit is cooked whole. Don't be afraid to throw the legs back in or use only legs for a ragout type recipe and cook longer. If you're cooking a large quantity (as I do), you can figure 2Hr (as opposed to one) for the legs to be perfect, ie. melt in the mouth, easily coming off the bone but not pasty.

Jamie Oliver’s Rabbit stew with dumplings

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/02/cook-the-book-rabbit-stew-with-dumplings.html

Chef Simon’s Lapin à la moutarde (with detailed pictures, but in French)

http://www.chefsimon.com/lapin_moutarde.htm

From Gourmet:

Braised rabbit with egg noodles http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/108101

Paella with rabbit and artichokes http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/234657

From BBC:

Rabbit with calvados, port, thyme, bacon and juniper

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/rabbitwithcalvadospo_681.shtml