If Bill can whip up this delicious meal during a planet-wide zombie apocalypse, then what’s your excuse? Try out this decadent rabbit dinner next time you want to impress your special someone. Just don’t forget the wine pairing!
Ingredients
Rabbit Rack Ingredients:
1 whole rabbit rack, trimmed
As needed kosher salt
As needed freshly ground black pepper
1-2 Tbsp neutral oil
Stuffed Rabbit Saddle Ingredients:
1 boneless rabbit saddle
As needed kosher salt
As needed freshly ground black pepper
Duxelle (see recipe below)
1-2 Tbsp neutral oil
Duxelle Ingredients:
2 Tbsp cooking olive oil
½ small shallot, minced
6 oz mushrooms of choice, finely chopped
½ tsp kosher salt + more to taste
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 Tbsp dry sherry
To taste freshly ground black pepper
Rabbit Leg Confit Ingredients:
2 bone-in skinless rabbit legs
As needed kosher salt
As needed freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs rosemary
4-5 sprigs thyme
4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
4-5 Cups extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp neutral oil
Blistered Tomatoes Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Cups cherry tomatoes or 6-8 on the vine tomatoes
Carrot Puree Ingredients:
1 small head garlic
1 tsp + 1 Tbsp neutral oil
2 lb carrots, peeled + sliced
1 Tbsp (packed) brown sugar
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp white wine vinegar
⅓ -½ Cup vegetable stock, warm
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground black pepper
Green Beans Ingredients:
1 Tbsp kosher salt + more to taste
8 oz green beans, trimmed + washed
1 Tbsp neutral oil
To taste freshly ground black pepper
Salad Ingredients:
1 Tbsp shallot, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground black pepper
4 Cups mixed salad greens, rinsed + dried
Method
Rabbit Rack Method:
If necessary, slice away the cartilage binding the two halves of the ribcage together.
Move the membrane from the bottom half of the ribs, leaving only the meat on the base of each half rack.
Season the rabbit meat with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate or small sheet tray.
Refrigerate the rabbit overnight uncovered.
When ready to cook, add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and and preheat the oven to 400 °F.
When the oil is preheated, add the rack to the skillet. Cooking the rabbit until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes.
Transfer the rabbit to a grill rack placed in a quarter sheet tray. Bake the rabbit in the preheat oven until the internal temperature reaches 160 °F.
Serve immediately.
Stuffed Rabbit Saddle Method:
Season the rabbit saddle all over in salt and pepper.
Add about ½ Cup of room temperature Duxelle to the center of between the two rabbit loins. Roll the saddle horizontally to encase the filling.
Secure the rolled rabbit saddle with tooth picks, skewers, and/or butchers twine.
Refrigerate overnight or until ready to cook, up to 3 days.
When ready to cook, remove the rabbit from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 400 °F.
Add the oil to a large skillet over medium high heat.
When the oil has preheated, add the rabbit to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 4-6 minutes.
Transfer the rabbit to a grill rack placed in a quarter sheet tray. Bake the rabbit in the preheat oven until the internal temperature reaches 160 °F.
Remove the rabbit from the oven and slice into ¾ inch rounds, then serve immediately.
Duxelle Method:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the shallot the to skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and thyme cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the chopped mushrooms to the skillet and season with the salt. Continue cooking the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes or until they have browned.
Deglaze the pan with the sherry and continue cooking until the alcohol smell has dissipated and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1-2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and season the mixture to taste with more salt and pepper.
Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before using.
Rabbit Leg Confit Method:
Preheat the oven to 225 °F.
Season the rabbit legs all over with salt and pepper.
In a small dutch oven, add the rabbit legs, herbs, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the dutch oven. Cover the contents will just enough oil to submerge the rabbit legs.
Partially cover the pot with a lid or aluminum foil, then transfer the pot to the preheated oven.
Allow the rabbit legs to confit for 4-5 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and allow the contents to cool to room temperature.
Remove the rabbit from the oil and refrigerate, separately, overnight.
When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400 °F.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the rabbit legs until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side.
Transfer the rabbit to a grill rack placed in a quarter sheet tray. Bake the rabbit in the preheat oven until the internal temperature reaches 160 °F.
Serve immediately.
Blistered Tomatoes Method:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
Add the tomatoes and cook on one side until the bottoms are starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
Carrot Puree Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
In a small bowl, coat the garlic in 1 teaspoon of oil. Transfer the garlic to a piece of aluminum foil, wrap the foil around the garlic.
Add the carrots to a large sheet tray. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over the carrots and toss to combine.
Roast the garlic and the carrots in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until completely tender.
Transfer the cooked carrots to a blender. Add the garlic, brown sugar, maple syrup, vinegar, and ⅓ cup of vegetable stock. While blending, stream in the olive oil. Continue blending until the mixture is completely smooth, add more stock if necessary.
Season the puree to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Green Beans Method:
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
Season the water with 1 tablespoon of salt, then add in the green beans. Cook the beans until just beginning to turn tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer the par-cooked green beans to the prepared ice bath.
Meanwhile, head the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Using tongs or a metal spider, transfer the par-cooked green beans from ice bath to the skillet.
Toss to combine the green beans in the oil and continue to cook the green beans until al dente, about 1-2 minutes.
Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Salad Method:
Combine the shallot, mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
When ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the salad greens and toss to combine.
Serve immediately.