Rabbit redux
 

I went with Jill's suggestions, except that I braised the
spinach with the rabbit rather than deep-frying it:

1 2.75 lb. rabbit, brined 32 hours, legs and saddle separated
1 medium leek, white & tender greens thinly sliced (~2/3 cup)
10 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
8 oz. spinach, blanched and chopped
8 oz. chicken broth (canned; nothing else on hand)
4 oz. vermouth
2 bay leaves
2 large sprigs thyme
6 berries juniper, crushed with back of the knife

Rabbit pieces dredged in flour & pepper (no salt, plenty
from brining) and browned in about 2 Tbs. grapeseed oil.
After draining most of the oil, I added the leeks to begin
softening the browned bits -- about 3-4 minutes, then the
garlic for another minute. Added the vermouth to deglaze,
and after that reduced about half, added the chicken broth,
bay leaf, thyme, juniper berries and the rabbit pieces.
Cooked slowly, covered, 30 minutes, then pulled out the
thyme and bay leaf and stirred in the spinach (I added
another 4 oz. chicken broth at this stage, as it was looking
a bit dry). Covered and cooked another 15 minutes, plus 5-6
minutes more uncovered, while some steamed rice was finishing.

Very nice. More than enough for the three of us, would be
fine for four moderate eaters.

Rabbit redux
 

I might have missed it in the earlier thread. What did you use for a
brining solution?

Thanks...

Jim Lahue

Michael Siemon wrote:

> I went with Jill's suggestions, except that I braised the
> spinach with the rabbit rather than deep-frying it:
>
> 1 2.75 lb. rabbit, brined 32 hours, legs and saddle separated
> 1 medium leek, white & tender greens thinly sliced (~2/3 cup)
> 10 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
> 8 oz. spinach, blanched and chopped
> 8 oz. chicken broth (canned; nothing else on hand)
> 4 oz. vermouth
> 2 bay leaves
> 2 large sprigs thyme
> 6 berries juniper, crushed with back of the knife
>
> Rabbit pieces dredged in flour & pepper (no salt, plenty
> from brining) and browned in about 2 Tbs. grapeseed oil.
> After draining most of the oil, I added the leeks to begin
> softening the browned bits -- about 3-4 minutes, then the
> garlic for another minute. Added the vermouth to deglaze,
> and after that reduced about half, added the chicken broth,
> bay leaf, thyme, juniper berries and the rabbit pieces.
> Cooked slowly, covered, 30 minutes, then pulled out the
> thyme and bay leaf and stirred in the spinach (I added
> another 4 oz. chicken broth at this stage, as it was looking
> a bit dry). Covered and cooked another 15 minutes, plus 5-6
> minutes more uncovered, while some steamed rice was finishing.
>
> Very nice. More than enough for the three of us, would be
> fine for four moderate eaters.

Rabbit redux
 

In article >,
Jim Lahue > wrote:

> I might have missed it in the earlier thread. What did you use for a
> brining solution?

Fairly standard kind of thing: about 3/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup
sugar to ~3 quarts water. Added chopped onion, celery, garlic,
and about 6 crushed bay leaves and 8-10 (I forget) crushed juniper
berries (i.e., I started the bay/juniper accent in the brine.)

> Michael Siemon wrote:
>
> > I went with Jill's suggestions, except that I braised the
> > spinach with the rabbit rather than deep-frying it:
> >
> > 1 2.75 lb. rabbit, brined 32 hours, legs and saddle separated
....

Rabbit redux
 

In article >,
Jim Lahue > wrote:

> I might have missed it in the earlier thread. What did you use for a
> brining solution?

Fairly standard kind of thing: about 3/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup
sugar to ~3 quarts water. Added chopped onion, celery, garlic,
and about 6 crushed bay leaves and 8-10 (I forget) crushed juniper
berries (i.e., I started the bay/juniper accent in the brine.)

> Michael Siemon wrote:
>
> > I went with Jill's suggestions, except that I braised the
> > spinach with the rabbit rather than deep-frying it:
> >
> > 1 2.75 lb. rabbit, brined 32 hours, legs and saddle separated
....

Rabbit redux
 

Michael Siemon wrote:

> In article >,
> Jim Lahue > wrote:
>>I might have missed it in the earlier thread. What did you use for a
>>brining solution?
>
> Fairly standard kind of thing: about 3/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup
> sugar to ~3 quarts water. Added chopped onion, celery, garlic,
> and about 6 crushed bay leaves and 8-10 (I forget) crushed juniper
> berries (i.e., I started the bay/juniper accent in the brine.)
>
>

Great! Thanks...

Jim Lahue

Rabbit redux
 

Michael Siemon wrote:

> In article >,
> Jim Lahue > wrote:
>>I might have missed it in the earlier thread. What did you use for a
>>brining solution?
>
> Fairly standard kind of thing: about 3/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup
> sugar to ~3 quarts water. Added chopped onion, celery, garlic,
> and about 6 crushed bay leaves and 8-10 (I forget) crushed juniper
> berries (i.e., I started the bay/juniper accent in the brine.)
>
>

Great! Thanks...

Jim Lahue

Rabbit redux
 

Michael Siemon wrote:
> I went with Jill's suggestions, except that I braised the
> spinach with the rabbit rather than deep-frying it:
>
(snippage)
> Very nice. More than enough for the three of us, would be
> fine for four moderate eaters.

Glad my advice could be of assistance to you, Michael. Sounds like a good
meal :)

Jill

Rabbit redux
 

Michael Siemon wrote:
> I went with Jill's suggestions, except that I braised the
> spinach with the rabbit rather than deep-frying it:
>
(snippage)
> Very nice. More than enough for the three of us, would be
> fine for four moderate eaters.

Glad my advice could be of assistance to you, Michael. Sounds like a good
meal :)

Jill

Rabbit redux
 

Michael Siemon wrote:
> I went with Jill's suggestions, except that I braised the
> spinach with the rabbit rather than deep-frying it:
>
(snippage)
> Very nice. More than enough for the three of us, would be
> fine for four moderate eaters.

Glad my advice could be of assistance to you, Michael. Sounds like a good
meal :)

Jill