Rabbit In Mediterranean Sauce Recipes

WHITE WINE-BRAISED RABBIT WITH MUSTARD

Steps:

• Lay rabbit pieces on a baking sheet and season each piece generously with salt and pepper. (If you are using a pepper mill, adjust it for coarse grind.)
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put a deep, heavy-bottomed, oven-safe saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add lard or oil.
• Put 1 cup flour on a wide plate. Dip seasoned rabbit pieces in flour and dust off excess. Gently set them in the hot oil in one layer without crowding; work in batches if necessary. Adjust heat to keep them from browning too quickly. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned.
• Remove browned rabbit from pan and set aside. Add diced onion to fat remaining in pan. Keep heat brisk and cook onions until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle onions with 2 tablespoons flour and stir until well incorporated, then cook for a minute or so, until mixture starts to smell toasty. Add wine and 1 cup broth, whisking as the sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining broth and the whole-grain mustard and bring to a simmer. Taste for salt and adjust.
• Return browned rabbit pieces to the sauce. Add thyme and sage. Cover pot and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until meat is fork tender. (Alternatively, simmer over low heat, covered, on the stove top, for about the same amount of time.)
• Using tongs, remove rabbit pieces from sauce, set aside, and keep warm. Put saucepan over medium heat and bring contents to a simmer. Whisk in crème fraîche, Dijon mustard and capers and simmer until somewhat thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust.
• Transfer rabbit to a warmed serving bowl and ladle the sauce over. Sprinkle generously with chives and a little freshly ground pepper. Accompany with noodles if desired.

LAPIN SAUTE MARENGO (SAUTEED RABBIT IN TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Sprinkle the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil and butter in a casserole and add the rabbit pieces. Cook until golden brown on one side, about four or five minutes, and turn the pieces. Cook about two minutes on the second side. Pour off the fat.
• Add the onions, shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Stir and continue cooking about five minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour over all and stir. Add the wine and stir to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the bottom of the casserole. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste.
• Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs and bay leaf into a bundle and add it. Cover closely and let cook about 45 minutes. Remove the herb bundle. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

RABBIT IN MEDITERRANEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• The day before you intend to cook the meal, soak the rabbit pieces in lightly salted water for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
• Remove them and dry them well with paper towel. Coat the joints on all sides with the mustard and leave covered in the fridge overnight.
• Coat the joints with the seasoned flour.
• Melt the butter in a casserole dish and brown the joints on all sides, then add the diced bacon, chopped onion and crushed garlic.
• Cover and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Then add the diced tomatoes, seasoning and stir.
• Transfer the casserole to a moderately slow oven (160°C) and cook for another 45 minutes.
• You may want to top it up with water, stock or red wine.
• Serve this with white rice or baked potatoes. A garnish of finely chopped parsley looks good too.
• Alternative:.
• This casserole can be cooked on a campfire in a heavy based casserole dish with a lid.
• After adding the diced tomatoes, move the casserole dish to a cooler part of the campfire and simmer very gently, again you may want to top it up with water, stock or red wine. Test whether the rabbit is tender with a skewer after 45 minutes, though it may take a little longer.

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.

MEDITERRANEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare tomatoesand set aside.
• Saute onion and garlic in olive oil untilonion is transparent.
• Add all remaining ingreients.
• Bring sauce to a boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Pour sauce over pasta, toss and serve.

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.