Rabbit Pojarski Recipes

RABBIT POJARSKI

Steps:

• Cut away and discard all traces of membrane, gristle or bone from the rabbit meat. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. Put the cubes into the container of a food processor or electric blender and blend until finely ground. Put the meat into a mixing bowl and add 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs and the nutmeg, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce.
• Divide the mixture into four equal portions. Scatter the remaining bread crumbs on a flat surface. Shape the meat into four flat rounds, each about 3/4 inch thick. Coat the rounds all over, bottom, top and sides with bread crumbs. Pat with the fingers to make the crumbs adhere.
• Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet large enough to hold rounds in one layer. Cook about 5 minutes until nicely browned on one side. Turn and cook the rounds about 7 minutes longer. Transfer the pieces to a warm serving dish. Pour off the fat from the skillet and wipe the skillet with paper toweling. Put the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and when it is hot but not browned add the lemon juice. Pour this over the rounds. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

SALMON AND GREEN BEANS POJARSKI WITH CUCUMBER HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove and discard any skin and sinew from the salmon and cut the flesh into 1-inch pieces.
• Cut away any damaged spots on the beans, wash thoroughly in cold water, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• To make the fresh bread crumbs, break fresh bread into pieces and grind in the bowl of a food processor. You should have 1 1/2 cups. (Note: fresh bread crumbs are superior to dry bread crumbs. If, however, fresh crumbs are not available, use half the amount of dry crumbs - 3/4 cup for this recipe.) Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Place the green beans and hot pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped; the mixture should be rather granulated, not smooth and liquid. You should have about 2 cups. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• In the unwashed bowl of the processor, place the salmon and process for a few seconds, starting and stopping the machine, until coarsely chopped. Add to the bean puree with the eggs, bread crumbs, garlic, pepper, salt and shredded basil. Mix well.
• Using a spoon, make patties weighing about 3 to 3 1/2 ounces each. Wet your hands if you feel they will stick to the salmon mixture and arrange the patties on a tray lined with plastic wrap. You should have 12 patties, 2 per person, and each patty should be no more than 1 inch thick and about 3 inches across. Set aside while you make the sauce.
• To cook the salmon, use 2 large skillets, preferably nonstick. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in each skillet. When hot, add the patties and cook over medium to high heat for 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Set aside for a few minutes before serving with cucumber hot sauce.

VEAL POJARSKI

Steps:

• Soak the mushrooms in warm water to cover until soft (about 30 minutes), then drain and coarsely chop.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large skillet, melt 1/2 the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, until shallot is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. (Do not brown.) Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
• Soak bread in milk for 15 minutes, then lightly squeeze dry.
• In a large bowl, combine porcini mixture, soaked bread, roasted meat, ground veal, thyme, egg and salt. To taste for seasoning, heat a small skillet and fry a chunk of the mixture until browned. Add salt and pepper to mixture, to taste.
• Divide the mixture in half and shape each half into a ball, with a slightly flattened top and bottom. If using bones, poke a hole in one side of each ball and stick a bone into the hole.
• Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy baking dish and gently lay the balls side by side. Lay 2 pieces of bacon on each and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, basting every 4 or 5 minutes, until sizzling and fragrant. Remove bacon for last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve hot.

KOTLETY POZHARSKIE (RUSSIAN GROUND CHICKEN CUTLETS)

Steps:

• Soak bread slices in the milk in a small bowl for 15 minutes, then squeeze the bread dry.
• Combine the bread with the meat (grind together if you have a meat grinder), and gradually beat in the softened butter, along with the salt& pepper, until the mixture is smooth.
• Make 6 oval patties from this mixture (about 1 1/2" thick), then dip each in egg and then in the bread crumbs, thoroughly coating both sides.
• Clarify the remaining 10 tbsp butter by, without letting the butter brown, melting it slowly in a heavy skillet over low heat and skimming off the foam as it rises.
• Remove the butter from heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes so they whey can settle out, then spoon off the clear butter and discard the milky solids at the bottom of the pan, and return 6 tbsp of the butter to the skillet.
• Place over a medium-high heat and when the butter is very hot fry the patties for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until the outside is golden brown and the inside doesn't look pink when pierced with the tip of a knife.
• Pour remaining clarified butter over the patties and serve immediately.

CHICKEN CUTLETS POJARSKI WITH PAPRIKA SAUCE

Steps:

• CHICKEN CUTLETS:.
• Chill a medium sized mixing bowl in the freezer.
• Place the boned chicken meat on a board and chop thoroughly with a sharp knife until fine or grind the meat in a meat grinder. (You can use a food processor for this but you must take extreme care not to over-process the meat as the texture of your cooked cutlets will be too heavy.).
• Add the meat to the chilled bowl. Add salt and white pepper to taste, the nutmeg and 5 tablespoons of the butter, melted. Mix well. Return the bowl and mixture to the freezer to chill once more while you prepare the dredging station. Do not freeze.
• Season the flour with salt and white pepper and place on a length of wax paper. Break the egg into a pie plate and beat with the vegetable oil and water. Place the bread crumbs on another length of wax paper.
• Divide the chilled mixture into 6 to 8 portions and shape each into a 1/2 inch thick cutlet. Dip one cutlet at a time into the flour, then in egg, then in bread crumbs. Press the crumbs gently into the cutlets then chill them until ready to cook. ( The cutlets may be made several hours ahead to this point. Keep cutlets refrigerated until ready to cook.).
• Heat the remaining butter in a large skillet and careful add the cutlets. Cook until golden brown on one side then turn and cook on the other.
• Serve with the Paprika Sauce.
• PAPRIKA SAUCE:.
• Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a small saucepan and cook the onion until wilted. Sprinkle with the paprika, flour and thyme, stirring. Stir in the chicken stock, using a whisk and simmer about 3 minutes. (The sauce may be made several hours ahead up until this point.).
• Add the cream and bring to a boil. Add the lemon juice, salt and white pepper to taste and the cognac.
• Strain the sauce through a sieve. Return to the heat and stir in the remaining butter and the sour cream. Heat the sauce through but do not bring to a boil.