Braised Rabbit In Tuscan Sauce Recipes

BRAISED RABBIT, ITALIAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Rinse the rabbit pieces in cold water and pat dry.
• In a deep wide skillet with a lid, put the oil, celery, garlic, and the rabbit in a single layer. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours. Turn the meat once or twice. If some of the ingredients begin to scorch, add a little water.
• After 2 hours, the rabbit may have thrown off a lot of liquid. Uncover the pan, turn the heat up to medium, and cook until the liquid has evaporated, turning the meat from time to time.
• Add the wine, rosemary, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, until the wine has evaporated.
• Dissolve the bouillon cube, tomato paste, and sugar in the warm water. Pour it over the rabbit, and cook gently for another 12 to 15 minutes, basting and turning the rabbit two or three times.
• Serve immediately, accompanied by polenta if desired.
• (The dish may be prepared entirely ahead of time. Reheat gently with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water over low heat, covered, turning the meat occasionally.).

BRAISED RABBIT IN TUSCAN SAUCE

Steps:

• For Sauce.
• Heat oil in heavy 4-quart nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onion,carrot,celery and parsley and brown, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.
• Add garlic and basil and cook 15 seconds.
• Mix in tomatoes.
• Reduce heat and simmer until reduced and thick,stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Can be prepared 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
• For Rabbit.
• Remove long loin piece on each side of backbone by cutting between meat and bone with sharp knife.
• Halve each loin crosswise;cut off remaining meat from bones.
• Put rabbit meat in large bowl; mix in wine,bay leaves,garlic, rosemary, pepper and cloves.
• Marinate at least 5 hours at cool room temperature or overnight in refrigerator, turning occasionally.
• Remove rabbit from marinade and pat dry;reserve marinade.
• Heat oil in nonaluminum heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• Add pancetta and brown, stirring frequently.
• Remove, using a slotted spoon.
• Add rabbit loins to skillet and sear on all sides; do not brown.
• Cool and refrigerate.
• Brown remaining rabbit meat over medium heat in batches(do not crowd).
• Transfer to heavy 5-quart saucepan, using a slotted spoon.
• Pour off all but 3 tablespoonfuls fat from skillet.
• Add pancetta to skillet and stir over medium heat 2 minutes;pour in marinade.
• Simmer until reduced to thick syrup, scraping up any browned bits, about 25 minutes.
• Pour over rabbit meat (keep loin refrigerated).
• Stir in tomato sauce;cover partially and simmer gently until rabbit meat is tender, about 25 minutes;cool.
• Refrigerate tomato mixture overnight(can be prepared 2 days ahead).
• Bring tomato mixture to a simmer;stir in loin pieces and simmer until tender, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.
• Discard bay leaves and fresh rosemary.
• Transfer rabbit mixture to platter.
• Serve immediately with polenta or pasta.

ITALIAN-STYLE BRAISED RABBIT WITH ROSEMARY AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cut the rabbit into 9 pieces (or ask your butcher to) as follows: with a sharp cleaver, cut the saddle (center portion) into 3 pieces, leaving the kidneys attached. Cut the front portion (front legs) in half through the backbone. Chop each hind leg into 2 pieces. Reserve the liver and heart to sauté as a snack.
• Heat .25 inch of olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep, wide heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Lightly brown the rabbit for about 3 minutes on both sides, working in batches. Drain on kitchen towels, then transfer to a baking dish in one layer. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Pour off the used oil, wipe out the pan and add 2 tablespoons fresh oil. Heat to medium-high, add the onions and cook till soft, about 5 minutes. Add the leek, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper, and add red pepper flakes to taste. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and wine, and let the mixture reduce for 1 minute. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, taste and adjust seasonings.
• Ladle the mixture evenly over the rabbit. Cover the dish, and bake for 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

BRAISED RABBIT WITH GRAINY MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse rabbit pieces and remove any fat, then pat dry and divide into 3 batches. Mix together salt and pepper in a small bowl for seasoning rabbit.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Season first batch of rabbit, then add 3 tablespoons oil to skillet and brown rabbit on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer browned rabbit to a flameproof roasting pan just large enough to hold all 3 batches in 1 layer. Season and brown remaining 2 batches of rabbit in same manner, transferring to roasting pan and adding more oil to skillet between batches if necessary. Reserve skillet.
• Add broth to roasting pan, then cover pan tightly with foil and braise rabbit in oven 15 minutes.
• While rabbit is braising, pour off any fat from skillet, then add onions, garlic, thyme, and 3 tablespoons butter and cook over moderately low heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add wine and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Pour mixture over rabbit and continue to braise, covered tightly, until rabbit is tender when pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Transfer rabbit to an ovenproof serving dish and keep warm, covered loosely with foil, in turned-off oven.
• Straddle roasting pan over 2 burners and boil braising liquid until reduced to about 3 1/4 cups, about 10 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup reduced liquid to a bowl and whisk in mustards. Add mustard mixture to reduced liquid in pan, whisking to incorporate. Dissolve cornstarch in water and whisk into sauce, then simmer, whisking, 2 minutes. Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to sauce and swirl pan until incorporated. Season sauce with salt and pepper and pour over rabbit.
• *Available at butcher shops, specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets (may require special order).