Should we be singing ‘Here Comes Peter Cottontail’? This was humorously posed to me as I browned small bits of rabbit meat; the preparation of my first ragù was underway. Cooking my first bunny feast seemed fitting recently, with Easter approaching and our family visiting for spring break.
Aside from chocolate Easter treats, rabbits certainly aren’t in vogue these days – I rarely see it on restaurant menus, in cookbooks or on the shelves at grocery stores (This one, I found at Hmart). But it’s only fallen out of favor during the past several decades. The rabbit boom lasted for centuries here in the United States, most recently during the war in the 1940s when it was viewed as a cheap and accessible form of protein. Historians claim it’s been used for culinary purposes as far back as 1500BC.
As our family lore goes, rabbit certainly has been a popular main ingredient over the years. This rabbit mission began, when I came across the old family recipe for hasenpfeffer. But the dish’s ingredients – which included ham hocks and 15 cups of red wine – were complex and I opted for the safe route with a trusty Epicurious recipe. Comprised of bacon, a hearty mix of vegetables, tomatoes and wine, how could this not go right?
Raw, whole rabbit on the cutting board, I quickly discovered that it would take some time to de-bone. (And I confess that I passed the portioning duties to my resident huntsman) The rabbit is small with a fair amount of meat, hidden around many tiny bones. The rear legs and the loin have the most meat, and you’ll find some on the front legs. Very little is found on the ribs, which can be tossed or used for a stock.
After much stirring – and a little wine for the cook – this rabbit ragù was ready to dish out. Traditional sides rounded out the meal – the ragù was spooned over buttered egg noodles, complemented by vibrant roasted asparagus. Rabbit meat is lean, and this ragù was surprisingly light. The bacon and herbs masked any present game flavor.
While rabbit may never make it into my weeknight rotation, it’s something I’ll cook again for a change of pace. Try the following recipe as a basic starting point, and then progress to a more complex recipe. In the cookbook Dressing & Cooking Wild Game (available at the Chester County Library), author and recipe tester Teresa Marrone provides detailed instructions and several appealing recipes like oven-barbecued rabbit and a Spanish paella with rabbit.
Rabbit Ragù
Recipe from Epicurious.com and Gourmet, December 2006
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra–virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 (1/4–lb) piece pancetta, cut into 1/4–inch dice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 (3–lb) rabbit, boned by butcher and meat cut into 1–inch pieces (1 1/2 lb boned)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 cup light dry red wine such as Pinot Noir
1 (14–oz) can Italian plum tomatoes in juice, drained and chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse gray sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat oil and butter in a 12–inch heavy skillet (2 inches deep) over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add sage and rosemary and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add rabbit and cook, stirring occasionally, until rabbit is no longer pink on outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, sea salt, and pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
