Cor, Briney!
I tried something new to me, and it worked! Brilliantly, actually.
There had been a lovely wild rabbit sitting in my freezer for a couple of months and I thought it was about time it was put to use. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the majority of Bugs, but I knew I fancied a southern fried rabbit leg. The back legs would make perfect little meaty lollipops, but I also know that without long, slow cooking rabbit can be dry and tough. After a bit of Googling, I thought I'd give brining a go, and I am a convert! From now on, I'm going to be brining meat left, right and centre. Despite a short cooking time the meat was succulent and juicy and just delicious. I had to rethink my seriously thick batter, but with good seasoning and perfectly fried meat, who cares?!
I used a ratio of 1tbsp of salt per cup of water and added a bay leaf, star anise and some peppercorns, and let little cottontail sit in the fridge for almost a full day.
For the rest of the rabbit, I slung together a haphazard version of Rabbit Cacciatore, and it was the greatest thing I've made in ages. Ages. For realsies. I wish I could eat wild rabbit all the time, but as we know, man can not live on rabbit alone. No one wants rabbit starvation. That's some serious malnutrition through over-consumption.
Anyway have some photos of deep fried rabbit trials and my recipe for...
5 garlic cloves, diced
sprig of rosemary, chopped
sprig of thyme, chopped
sprig of sage, chopped
handful of chopped black olives
splash of Moscatel or similar
red wine to cover
pepper, but no salt needed after brining
There had been a lovely wild rabbit sitting in my freezer for a couple of months and I thought it was about time it was put to use. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the majority of Bugs, but I knew I fancied a southern fried rabbit leg. The back legs would make perfect little meaty lollipops, but I also know that without long, slow cooking rabbit can be dry and tough. After a bit of Googling, I thought I'd give brining a go, and I am a convert! From now on, I'm going to be brining meat left, right and centre. Despite a short cooking time the meat was succulent and juicy and just delicious. I had to rethink my seriously thick batter, but with good seasoning and perfectly fried meat, who cares?!
I used a ratio of 1tbsp of salt per cup of water and added a bay leaf, star anise and some peppercorns, and let little cottontail sit in the fridge for almost a full day.
Anyway have some photos of deep fried rabbit trials and my recipe for...
Cannon Fodder's Rabbit
Serves 2, and you will want more
front legs & saddle of rabbit
1 onion, finely sliced5 garlic cloves, diced
sprig of rosemary, chopped
sprig of thyme, chopped
sprig of sage, chopped
handful of chopped black olives
splash of Moscatel or similar
red wine to cover
pepper, but no salt needed after brining
- Preheat your oven to gas mark 4 or electric equivalent. Stick a big, oven proof pan on a moderate heat with some ghee or fat of choice coating the bottom. Brown off your rabbit pieces. Remove and reserve.
- Turn the heat down and soften your onion and garlic. Return the rabbit to the pan, add in the Moscatel and cook for a minute or two until liquid has all but disappeared.
- Add in your herbs and olives, stir and pour in your wine to cover. Bring to the boil. Pop the whole pot in the oven and leave it for at least an hour.
- Serve with creamy, puréed parsnips and some sautéed leeks. Scoff. Make mmmmmm noises. Expect extreme praise for making something so bloody yummers it just should not be allowed. Mmmmm...
Comments
Post a Comment