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Today rabbit meat has become popular because it lean. Rabbit was a common dish in country kitchens because almost every family raised rabbits for personal consumption. The rabbits helped supplement the family’s income because they could sell the meat to those who lived in the city. In my family, rabbit meat was part of our weekly menu and it was cooked in various ways – with olives, deboned and rolled, and roasted.
The recipe I am presenting is very simple and the roasting, though a bit long, allows you to focus on other tasks while the oven does the job. I suggest you buy a rabbit that has already been cut into pieces. Butchering or breaking down a whole rabbit requires a skilled hand and some time. This recipe uses every piece of the rabbit.
If you have leftovers, you can remove the meat from the bone, cut it into small pieces, and serve it cold with a green salad.
ROASTED RABBIT
Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 90 minutes
(Serves 6)1 rabbit
4 slices bacon
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots
3 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of thyme
4 sage leaves
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Clean and dry the rabbit. Add the oil, bacon, shallots, sage, garlic, and pieces of rabbit to a pan or casserole that can go in the oven. Place the pan over high heat and sauté the rabbit for about 15 minutes, turning the pieces so that it does not stick.
- Continue to cook for a few minutes if the meat still emits liquid. Pour in the white wine then add the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Transfer to the oven and lower the oven to 400°F. Turn over the pieces every 30 minutes.
- After one hour, check the rabbit with a fork, the meat should be tender and golden. Continue cooking, turning the pieces over every 15 minutes to control the cooking and prevent it from drying out.
Serve two pieces per person accompanied by mashed potatoes.
