2013: Rabbit Love
This Rabbit dish was the staple of my New Year’s menu. It was the first time I cooked a rabbit, but I can assure you, it will not be the last! If prepared correctly, rabbit meat is not only healthy, but also extremely delicious! At the holiday gathering, place the rabbit in the middle of the table, as this will be the staple dish! Enjoy!
- 8-10
- 40 minutes
- 2 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
- One 2-lb rabbit, cut into 8-10 pieces
- 5 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 8 cups water
- 9 oz (275 grams) sour cream
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 large carrots
- 1 medium onion
- 5-6 baby portabella mushrooms
- 4-5 cups beef or chicken broth
- 5 dill fronds
- olive oil, salt, pepper to taste
Directions
- When you buy a rabbit at the grocery store, it will most likely be frozen. Defrost the rabbit for about 10 hours.
- Once thawed, place the rabbit in a large bowl, cover with water and add the red wine vinegar. Leave overnight (this is done in order to remove the unpleasant smell and taste from the rabbit, and to make the meat softer).
- In the morning, remove the rabbit from the water and wash well. Cut the rabbit into 8 to 10 pieces (I used kitchen scissors for this, as I did not have enough strength for a knife).
- Season the pieces with salt and pepper and fry in olive oil until a brownish crust forms (the meat does not have to be cooked through at all, you are simply sealing in the juices).
- Place the lightly-fried pieces into a bowl-shaped oven-safe dish. Cover the pieces with the broth (beef or chicken) and place into a 365 F (180 C) preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- While the rabbit is baking, clean the carrots and onions and finely shred both.
- Fry the carrots and onions in a pan for about 7-10 minutes (salt, pepper to taste).
- Finely chop the mushrooms and separately sauté them in a frying pan (salt, pepper to taste).
- Remove the rabbit, cover with mushrooms, carrots and onions, and place back into the oven for 30 more minutes.
- In the meantime, finely chop the dill.
- Add the sour cream and mayonnaise to the dill.
- Remove the rabbit, cover with the sour cream mixture and place back into the oven for 15 more minutes.
- Turn off the oven and leave the rabbit in for the next 20 minutes to slowly simmer.