On Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 10:40:57 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> Thanks for watching Kate. Here is the recipe Rabbit Cacciatore. Enjoy.
>
>
> 4 servings with leftovers
>
> 1 rabbit, about 3-1/2 pounds
> 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or more to taste
> 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
> 5-6 plump garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
> 8 to 9 large fresh sage leaves
> 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
> 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, halved, drained, and dried
> 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced in half (about 4 ounces)
> 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
> 2 or 3 pickled hot cherry peppers, drained, seeded and quartered or an equivalent amount of Tuscan preserved peppers plus 1/8-1/4 teaspoon peperoncini (hot red pepper flakes)
> 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
> 3/4 cup white wine
> 3 large red and yellow bell peppers (1 ½ pounds) cored, seeded, and cut in 1-inch pieces
> 1 cup of more hot turkey or vegetable broth or other light stock, or more
>
> Cutting up the rabbit:
> Lay the rabbit on its side; lift up the leg-thigh of the meaty hind leg, then twist it around and bend it back to expose the joint. Cut into the flesh there and through the joint to separate the leg thigh piece. Turn the rabbit over and separate the other hind leg in the same way.
> Lift the foreleg on one side, find and sever the shoulder joint, and pull off the leg from the backbone.
> Clean all the fat from the cavity. Cut off the neck, slicing crosswise through the backbone just above the ribcage. Cut off the tail end of the backbone, slicing crosswise just below the meaty flaps of the saddle€”chop the backbone here with a cleaver or a sturdy kitchen knife.
> Cut crosswise through the meat flaps and backbone where the saddle meets the ribcage; make an initial cut with your knife then chop with the cleaver to separate the rib piece from the saddle.
> Cut and chop the saddle in half, crosswise. Spread open the two sides of the rib cage and split them apart down the middle.
> You now have 8 good serving pieces plus the 2 small pieces of neck and tail.
>
> Cooking the meat and seasonings:
> Toss the rabbit pieces with 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt to season them on all sides.
> Pour the 1/3 cup of the olive oil into the braising pan, swirling it around and set over medium heat. As the pan heats, lay in the meatiest rabbit pieces, close together in one layer, tucking the remaining pieces (like the rib pieces) on top.
> Cook, without turning, to let the meat caramelize slowly, and scatter the garlic, sage leaves and rosemary sprigs on top. After 6 or 7 minutes or whenever the underside of the rabbit pieces is opaque and just lightly browned, turn them over and move them around. Brown gently now for 10 minutes or so, turning again once to let the seasonings tumble in between.
> Scatter the sun-dried tomato halves over the rabbit pieces, turning them again so the tomatoes fall into the bottom. Clear a space and drop in the shallots; cook them in the hot spot for a minute or 2, then tumble them in with the rabbit pieces. Clear another spot, drop in the tomato paste, toast it for a minute, then turn and move the pieces around in the pan, distributing the tomato paste.
> The rabbit should be browned all over by now; if not, turn any pale sides to the pan bottom. Drop in the hot cherry pepper pieces in hot spots and toast them for a minute.
> Turn the heat up a bit and pour the 2 tablespoons of vinegar into the pan in several clear places; let it steam and sizzle, then pour the white wine all around. Turn the rabbit pieces as the wine heats and starts to cook off.
> Now scatter the fresh pepper pieces into the pan and continue to cook, turning occasionally and maintaining the heat so the juices in the pan are gently sizzling and evaporating and light browning continues.
> After 12 minutes or so, when the pepper pieces have softened and the rabbit has caramelized more and the pan bottom is nearly dry, drizzle over another tablespoon or so of the olive oil and turn the pieces. Pour in the cup of hot broth and stir it with the seasonings, scraping the bottom to dissolve any glaze.
>
> Covered cooking and serving:
> When the broth is simmering, cover, and cook about 15 minutes, then sprinkle on another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt (taste to determine how much). Turn everything again, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan; the liquid should be reducing and thickening gradually; adjust the heat if necessary.
> Cover and cook a final 10-15 minutes or until broth and juices have concentrated into a small amount of thick sauce, enough to coat the rabbit, and the meat is tender. If there's not enough liquid, pour in broth, a few tablespoons at a time, heat and stir to blend.
> Remove the pan from the heat: serve right away, or cover the pan to keep the rabbit warm. If it has cooled or the sauce thickens, reheat the rabbit gently with small amounts of broth to refresh and moisten it. Taste for seasoning before serving.