Author Notes
Cute and furry with little cottontails? Sure they are. But they also steal goodies from the garden which really ticks me off. And so ... some delicious revenge (served hot, not cold - apologies to the Bard). If you watch Survivorman then you also know that if you are dropped in Alaska and try to live off bunnies alone, you will starve to death because you need fat to metabolise the protein, enter my best friend duck fat. —aargersi
Ingredients
-
1
Peter Rabbit - cut in 8
-
2 cups
carrot juice
-
2
large cloves garlic - thinly sliced
-
1 tablespoon
salt (plus more)
-
2 tablespoons
fresh thyme leaves
-
several sprigs of fresh thyme
-
ground pepper
-
2 cups
peeled sliced carrots (1/4 inch - the organic ones really are better)
-
1
big leek - cleaned and sliced - white and light green only
-
1 cup
flour
-
1 cup
dry white wine
-
1 cup
chicken broth
-
1/4 cup
dry vermouth
-
4-5
bay leafs
-
1
BIG scoop duck fat, enough to generaously coat your pan. I think I used about 1/3 cup
Directions
-
Mix together carrot juice, garlic, 1 tbs salt, several grinds of pepper and the 2 tbs of thyme leaves. Marinate the Peter parts for at least an hour, 2 or 3 is better.
-
Turn the oven to 325. Remove the Bunny Bits from the marinade and Pat The Bunny dry (stop, I am killing me here). Season with additional salt and pepper. Heat the duck fat in a big giant skillet or a dutch oven. Dredge the wabbit in flour, then brown each piece on both sides in the duck fat. When they have browned remove them to a plate. You will need to do this in 2 or 3 batches.
-
Turn the heat down a little and add the carrots and leeks to the pan. Saute them for a few minutes until they just start to get tender, then add the wine, vermouth and chicken stock. Nestle the bunny into its carroty broth, then spread the thyme sprigs and bay leaf over top. Loosley cover your pan with foil and into the oven for 30 minutes.
-
After 30 minutes remove the foil, and continue to cook until the rabbit is tender, mine took an additional 30 minutes - test it by poking with a fork, the fork should go easily to the bone.
-
I served my rabbit over polenta - it would also be good on pasta or rice or risotto with peas (which is how I will eat the leftovers tonight!) Also I drank a bordeaux with this last night and it was really good.
Country living, garden to table cooking, recent beek, rescue all of the dogs, #adoptdontshop
See what other Food52ers are saying.