Sunday, February 17, 2008

Rabbit Redux

The judging is finished and the verdict is in.
Fresh rabbit is delicious. Just kwa-a-azy delicious.
For all of you much more sophisticated than me, I just can't shut up because this was my first home-cooked bunny.
The meat is (mostly) white and grained like chicken meat, but the flavor is definitely mammal. I was detecting caramel notes, which I doubt could have happened from the brief browning in oil before the braising began.
However, I did throw in a lot of carrots (because rabbits like carrots). That, plus the little bit of fennel bulb, orange zest, bay leaves and the obscene glug of champagne, probably ratcheted up the sugar quotient.
The two of us ate half the bunny. The rest is going into rillettes. We even saved our fantastic braising liquid.
And there's still that honkin' rabbit liver in the fridge. Just one, but giganto. I might make a mini pâté. Cute!

12 comments:

Amy Sherman said...

Shhhhh! Not too loud or the Bunrabs will hear you!

Gretchen Noelle said...

It is awfully funny that you cooked a bunny. Hope it was yummy. :)

kudzu said...

Cooks, it looks fabulous. Aren't you glad you bought it?

If you have enough left, use some for a pasta sauce with papardelle as well as for rillettes.

Anna Haight said...

I always got my bunny fix at Christophe's which now looks closed... I guess I should try it myself since you make it look so good!

Derrick said...

And be sure to make stock from the bones. Rabbit stock is _dee_lishous. Probably the best-tasting stock I've ever made.

cookiecrumb said...

Amy: Yikes! I wasn't thinking about the Bunrabs. I wonder if they know how tasty they are! :D

Gretchen: Funny, bunny... yummy! Yes.

Kudzu: We're taking it off the bone tomorrow and I'll know how much there is. I looked at the FC website the other day, and they no longer had rabbit listed. So I sure am glad I snagged this one.

Anna: I tried for months a couple of years ago to get fresh, local rabbit, and I kept not being able to. All the rabbit growers sold them directly to restaurants (probably Christophe, too, sniff, sniff).

Derrick: Aw, fracknuts! I failed to consider that, and we blithely threw away the first half of the bones. I totally trust you, so I will save the second half. And believe me, there will be more rabbits in my future.

Anita (Married... with dinner) said...

Rabbit redux, nyuk nyuk.

Heather said...

lol @ carrots with wascally wabbit! Can't wait to see your pâte.

Michelle said...

Mmm...you make me miss home! We often ate rabbit when I was a kid (we were a hunting/fishing/farming sort of bunch) and I haven't had it in ages! Although I've never butchered one myself...I'm still a shitty chicken butcher, I wouldn't have a clue what to do with a rabbit!! I'm impressed AND jealous!

Zoomie said...

Gosh, you could have prepared rubber boots with those yummy ingredients and they would have been delicious! Glad you enjoyed your wabbit!

KristiB said...

I've never eaten or cooked a rabbit. I think it's time I start!
I also tagged your blog :)
http://theglobalkitchen.blogspot.com/

cookiecrumb said...

Anita: My literary friend, I always wish for at least one "nyuk, nyuk" on my punny titles. Thanks.

Heather: The pate is made and waiting to be photoed and et. Today.

Michelle: I wonder how much wild rabbit differs in taste from farmed rabbit. As for butchering, you can do it. Just locate the joints, and hack.

Zoomie: Yes, but then what would I wear out in my muddy garden? :D

KristiB: It's time you start. Now what's this about a tag?