Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Rabbit Cacciatore

So let me get this straight. If cacciatore in Italian means "hunter," then why do we make it with chicken? It makes a lot more sense making this dish with rabbit, and thats exactly what we did. Simmered in ripe tomatoes, mushrooms and herbs like thyme and rosemary, this Bugs Bunny was finger lickin good!


Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: about 45 minutes 
Ingredients:
- 1 large cottontail rabbit, cut into pieces
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon 
- 1 tbs. dried thyme, or 3 tbs. fresh
- 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, or 1 tsp. fresh
- 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 (8 oz.) package of white button mushrooms, sliced
- 3 large very ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 tbs. of capers
- serve with cooked white rice 

To butcher rabbit, please refer to a great post by Hunter Angler Gardener Cook: http://honest-food.net/2010/05/19/how-to-cut-up-a-rabbit/

Make sure to remove silver skin. 
1. Dab rabbit pieces dry with paper towels. Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides. 
2. Then lightly coat in flour, shaking off any excess.
MMmMmMmMMmmm...
3. Over medium-high heat, heat olive oil in a medium-sized Dutch oven. Place rabbit pieces in the pan in a single layer. Do not move. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned, and then brown the other side for a couple more minutes.
Move cooked rabbit to another plate and repeat with other pieces. Set aside.
Your kitchen will smell heavenly...
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion to the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
My best friend got us the Ninja. It works like a charm!
5. Then add mushrooms, 1/2 tsp. of rosemary, 1 tbs. thyme and 1/2 tsp. of chicken bouillon. Cook for a few more minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. Add rabbit back into the pan. 
Cover with chopped tomatoes and 1 bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover the Dutch oven and cook for 35 minutes.

7. Uncover the pan and add capers. Increase heat and cook for a few minutes to boil off excess moisture and to thicken sauce.



Once sauce is half reduced, adjust seasonings if necessary. You will probably need more salt. Remove from heat and serve over rice.


We hope you like this one!






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