Do I start at the beginning or the end. With a great dish the final product often looks quite a bit different than the sum of its parts. Frequently the heat changes the colors, the flavors and the aroma’s. So as Aristotle said “the whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
Tonight I tested out the local rabbit and was quite pleased. Even thought it came frozen it looked and smelled great when thawed. Smaller than the rabbits I had worked with before but the same anatomy.
I bought the rabbit at Fenwick’s Choice Meats at the Cross Street Market. A small Sobo (South Baltimore) butcher shop. I also bought duck breasts there the other day and they were great.
So, I fabricated the rabbit which means that I cut it into pieces, removed the loin sections, thigh bones, scraped the leg bones then tied the loins and boneless thighs. Dusted the pieces with flour and browned them on high heat in canola oil. Sauteed the shallot and carrot, deglazed with about 3/4th of a cup of Prosecco. I added the browned rabbit back into the pan and then added the brazing liquid. The brazing liquid was comprised of the rabbit stock I made with the left over bones and the artichoke water. Usually the water used to preserve the canned imported artichoke is just tossed away but it really has a lot of flavor so if it is not too salty it is very good to use to add flavor to the meat and vegetables. I strained the water and squeezed the artichokes gently in my hand to remove as much of the water as possible. As the braising works about half the liquid evaporates further concentrating the flavors. I then add the halved artichokes for about the final 5 minutes of cooking so they don’t become too mushy.
I found that the acidity of the artichoke really enhanced the flavor of the sauce which I seasoned with only a couple sprigs of fresh thyme and salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
At the left is the rabbit brazing and at the right is the final product. A comfort food dish to be sure. What you can’t see really is what is underneath the carrot and artichoke. I hand made the tortelli.
Small ravioli filled with the vegetables, ricotta and small pieces of rabbit meat I had removed from the bones and browned. Of course I forgot to take photos of the tortelli and it was the first time I had made them since finishing at Alma so it was good practice.
We have a party of 6 coming up on Monday and I think home made pasta will go well.
How did the rabbit taste? It turned out really good.
Chefs, Baltimore
The Journey Continues 